Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale by Eric A. Kimmel (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale by Eric A. Kimmel Jeannette Hulick Kimmel, Eric A. Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale; illus. by Matthew True-man. Disney Hyperion, 2014 36 p ISBN 978-1-4231-4355-0 $16.99 R 6–8 yrs Simon sets out for America aboard the HMS Atlantic, but the ship collides with an iceberg mid-journey. Saving himself by leaping onto the menorah, he decides (since it is the first night of Hanukkah) that he will light the first candle in the menorah he has brought from home, in hopes of inviting a similarly miraculous salvation. His miracle shows up—a huge polar bear—and Simon feeds her some of the latkes his mother has packed. The kindly bear allows Simon to sleep next to her, keeping him warm, and brings him fish the next day, and the next, until Simon has lit all eight of his Hanukkah candles and used up all of his food supply. On the eighth night, rescue comes from a ship, sent to investigate the source of the mysterious light on the iceberg. Picturesque but pithy details add nuance and readaloud value to this original and inventive Hanukkah tale. Strong artistic compositions and an atmospheric use of a range of shadowy blues and whites effectively capture the wintry seascapes and night skies, and Trueman brings a masterful hand to textures ranging from the bear’s thickly stippled coat to the craquelure of the ice. Simon’s crimson hat provides a note of contrast and cheerful hope against the starker backgrounds, and the bear is both cuddly-looking and realistically intimidating in her size and in her triangular claws. This has multiple use possibilities, from holiday celebrations to polar bear storytimes to immigration-themed units, but it could also simply add some light and inspiration to a cold, dark winter’s night. Copyright © 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois