Hanukkah at Valley Forge

by Stephen Krensky, Greg Harlin (Illustrator)

A soldier tells George Washington the miraculous story of how a ragtag army of Jewish soldiers defeated a much larger force of powerful Greeks, a tale that provides just the kind of inspiration the General needs. ?Quietly beautiful watercolor illustrations draw a visual distinction between the frigid blue Pennsylvania night and the golden light of ancient Israel, which is further reflected in the warm glow of the Hanukkah candles.? ? School Library Journal

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Jewish, Christmas, Childrens, Fiction, Holiday

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a double-scoop ice cream cone, Stephen Krensky has given readers a super-delicious history lesson within a story from history. A fictional story with spiritual truth connects those two very different histories.

Imagine, at Valley Forge, General George Washington learns about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. By chance, General George meets a soldier who tells him about the struggle, the courage, and ultimately the miraculous support for the Maccabees!

I love this fictionalized conversation between George Washington and one of his soldiers, a Jew who has come to America from Poland. Here's my favorite quote:

"Our enemies are not invincible," Judah [Maccabee] told [those Israelis leading their own rebellion, back in the Holy Land].

"Our enemies are not invincible.... for they trust in arms and acts of daring. But we trust in the Almighty God."

SEEMS TO ME, GOODREADERS

As brave soldiers, the Jews did more than trust. That trust in God strengthened them to do their part, their very human part. After three years of fighting, the Maccabees drove their enemies away. Finally, when ready to celebrate victory at last, they ran out of oil for lighting their sacred candles on the Minorah (a multibranched candelabra). That is when the miracle of Hanukkah happened.

Now, Goodreaders, let's add a third scoop to the ice cream cone given us by spiritual storyteller Stephen Krensky, and also by his eloquent illustrator Greg Harlin. Let's add a third scoop about the struggles in our own lives living now.

IN PEACE, IN WAR, AT ANY TIME LIVING ON EARTH

Seems to me, for those of us who aspire to make this world a better place, sigh!

Sometimes that's hard.

Yet we can choose to gain strength from our relationship with God. Strengthened, we can do our part better. If more is asked of us, we can find that we have more to give. And when miracles arrive... with full hearts, we can celebrate them.

FIVE STARS for this book, and I'm also shelving it under "Highest Praise." By far, it's the best Hanukkah book I've seen yet.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictionalized account of true events, Hanukkah at Valley Forge is the story of a meeting between General George Washington, surveying his troops at their camp in Valley Forge, in December of 1777, and a solitary Jewish soldier, observing Hanukkah in his hut one bitterly cold night. Curious about this ritual he had interrupted, Washington asks the soldier - an unnamed Jewish immigrant from Poland, and a passionate believer in the American cause - its meaning. The story which the soldier unfolds, about the ancient struggle of the Maccabees to liberate Israel from the rule of a far-off king, and the miracle which followed, strike a chord with the general, giving him faith that America too will triumph...

Although it is impossible to know whether the events chronicled here actually unfolded as described, or what effect they had on George Washington, we do know that he encountered a Jewish soldier at Valley Forge, and heard an explanation of Hanukkah from him. He said as much, a year later, when a guest at a dinner given by Michael Hart, a Jewish merchant then living in Eaton, Pennsylvania. This interpretation of that statement, by Stephen Krensky, while perhaps not factual, in the strictest sense of the word, strikes me as being true, highlighting the similarities between two very different struggles for freedom. The accompanying watercolor illustrations, by Greg Harlin, have a lovely, luminous quality to them, and are well suited to both stories unfolded here - the one from ancient times, and the one in 1777.

All in all, Hanukkah at Valley Forge is a lovely little book, which I would wholeheartedly recommend, not just to young readers celebrating Hanukkah, but to those with an interest in American history.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories such as this, those based on fact, often drive me nuts because I want to know what is real and what is fictionalized. The author’s note in the back of the book did an adequate job of satisfying my curiosity. I just love the idea in this story that George Washington ran into a Jewish solder at Valley Forge, a man who was celebrating the first night of Hanukkah at the time. That Washington did know what Hanukkah was and respected religious freedom is very heartening. I also love that Washington’s actual words were fit into what he says in this story. Since he kept no diary, that’s the best that could be done, and it was sufficient for me.

Most of the story is the soldier’s accounting for Washington of how the first Hanukkah came to be. It’s a bit more of a religious history lesson than a storybook story, even though this incident is historical fiction and not history.

The illustrations are so perfect. The way light is used and the facial expressions in the Valley Forge photos were wondrous and the pictures did their job; just viewing them made me feel cold. the illustrations from the time of the first Hanukkah had a whole other authentic feel.

This is an inspiring story of the founding of America, religious freedom and tolerance, and of the celebration of Hanukkah.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enfleshed version of a story of a story about Washington meeting a Polish soldier observing Hanukkah at Valley Forge. I personally have issues with conflating the Maccabean Revolt with the Revolutionary War. That's just me, though. The text is well-written and not overwrought, and the illustrations are quite lovely. It does elide a lot of the violence from both wars, which makes it more accessible to tender readers.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun way to hear about two separate events in history! The winter at Valley Forge and the fight of the Maccabees.

Based on an actual diary account, this book tells of Washington learning about the history behind the lighting of candles for Hanukkah from a Jewish soldier.

Great illustrations!

Ages: 3 - 10

[Monica Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hanukkah at Valley Forge is a fascinating tale of General George Washington learning about Hanukkah from one of his soldiers during the revolutionary war. This book would be a great way to teach children about the history of Hanukkah, as well as to teach them about people from different religious backgrounds respecting each other’s beliefs. This book is historical fiction, and I think it would be best used in grades 3 and 4.

I could use this book in my classroom during a unit on religious holidays or religions around the world. If I could have a unit where one day was spent on each religion, I think this one would be a great book to teach kids about Hanukkah and launch a lesson about the Jewish religion and culture.

I could also use this book during a unit on the revolutionary war. We teach students that colonists came to America for freedom of religion, but often we only focus on different denominations of Christianity. I think showing that Jewish people from countries other than England came here too and fought side-by-side with Christians and people of other faiths would be a refreshing and eye-opening perspective.

This book is a WOW book for me because it taught me something new about a group of people that are different from myself. This book has the potential to teach children about a different culture, as well as to represent our Jewish students. It can also teach our students about the value of learning about and accepting people that are different than you.

[Chrisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on supposed events. I had never heard the original tale of Hanukkah before, though. I liked the contrast of the two stories. And I loved the way the illustrator frames his light. You can tell that it was meticulously thought through.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not enough Hanukkah stories out there.

[S10_Abby Alley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protagonists: George Washington and a Polish soldier
Grade Level: 1-4

This is a fictional account of George Washington meeting a Jewish soldier during the Revolutionary War. Washington sees the soldier lighting the first candle on the Menorah. He proceeds to ask him what he is doing. The soldier then explains the story behind Hanukkah and why it is celebrated. As the soldier is telling the story that depict what the soldier says. The watercolor illustrations are a highlight of the book. The author's note explains that although this book is considered historical fiction, there is a probable chance than an encounter like this did take place. Louisa, Washington's friend's stepdaughter wrote about it in her journal. It could not be confirmed though as Washington did not keep a journal during those years. The most interesting part of the book was the connection between what the Americans during the Revolutionary War were going through and what the Israelites were going through as they fought against the Greek king. Both groups of people were up against difficult odds and won. The parallel worked well in the story.
I think this book does have a place in the elementary classroom, but my guess is there are better books about Hanukkah out there. I don't think I would use this book during a unit on the Revolutionary War (unless I had a high percentage of Jewish students) because it doesn't teach much about the war. However, I have done (as I am sure others have) a "December Holidays" unit, and I think this book would be a nice addition to books about Hanukkah to share with my students. Some good titles to go with it are: Moishe's Miracle: A Hanukkah Story (fiction) and The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate (non-fiction).

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An accounting of what (probably) happened at Valley Forge when Washington encountered a Hebrew soldier celebrating Hanukkah and an explanation of the holiday's meaning. Fact: Washington dined with a Jewish merchant in Easton, PA, who started to explain Hanukkah, when Washington interrupted him and told him this story. This is a Young Adult book (I read anything and everything!) and is a quick read.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting second hand account of George Washington learning about Hanukah from a soldier celebrating holiday. Great introduction for anyone not familiar with the holiday or teaching children the basics about the holiday.

The book shares that this account is from the diary of a girl whose family was visited by George Washington. He recounted the story on his visit, and she recorded it, though no first hand record from him.

[Shoshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated story of General George Washington speaking with a Jewish soldier at Valley Forge and learning about Hanukkah. This story is based on a record of General Washington speaking about this encounter with a different Jewish family that he visited a year later. I love how General Washington was able to connect the Patroit's struggle with that of the Jews under the Seleucid empire. You can really feel the warm and the cold with these illustrations!

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. As other reviews state, the author's note explains the distinction between fiction and history, which I find essential. Wonderful book at the intersection of the revolutionary war and Jewish history. It spurred a number of discussion topics with my 5 year old and also introduced the history of Hanukkah. Recommended for 5 year old +

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's book I read for one of my "holiday" books for a book club. Although written for a younger audience, it was helpful in my understanding of Hanukkah and has some historical validation. At one of the low points in the Revolution and in Washington's life, a faithful practice of Hanukkah by a soldier was a source of inspiration.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this gem of a book in the library for 10cents. Very clear description of Hanukkah and I really liked how it went back and forth between the American Revolution and the Isrealites 2000 years ago. It really makes you think deeper..krb 12/19/18

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fictional account of George Washington learning of the story of Hanukkah from a Jewish soldier under his command, and drawing parallels between the story of the Maccabees and the American Revolution.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intertwining the history of the American Revolution and Hanukkah, Krensky shows the similarities of he Maccabees and soldiers at valley Forge, as well as showcasing how diverse America was from the beginning.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book about how we can all identify with each other's histories and stories.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The account is from a journal from Pennsylvania resident about George Washington's experiences at Valley Forge. I liked the author's adaptation of the event.

[skcocnaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This explains the story of Hanukkah in a concise and understandable way. Beautiful illustrations as well!

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictionalized story based on a possible real event when George Washington learned about Hanukkah at Valley Forge.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just didn't work for me. Not enough about Valley Forge to make it come alive, and the conversation didn't seem realistic.

Who's the target audience? Definitely not the usual picture book reader.

[Kris Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanukkah at Valley Forge was written by Stephanie Krensky and illustrated by Greg Harlin. This historical fiction picturebook is intended to be read by intermediate children. There were no awards issued. I rated this book as a five.

Hanukkah at Valley Forge is about a Polish, Jewish soldier, who came to America for freedom. The soldier is praying in Hebrew on the first night of Hanukkah as General George Washington appears in his cabin. The plot is the Jewish soldier explaining the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah to General George Washington, a Christian. The setting is a cold, snowy winter’s night at Valley Forge in an Army cabin. The theme is the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. The language is English in forms of paragraphs, which contains a higher level of vocabulary. This book explains the history of how Hanukkah was started and continues into today’s generation.

As for the picturebook, the illustrations are painted in oils. The colors are painted in blue and mustard yellow to showcase the winter season and Hanukkah history, respectively. The front cover design has the title in large font in the top left-hand corner. The illustration is a Jewish solider lighting a candle as George Washington looks in from the door opening, The back cover design is solid navy blue with a framed picture of US Army troops with an American flag. The endpages are solid rust color. The full title page is a double spread illustration that crosses the gutter. The title page illustration allows the reader to understand the setting. The dedication page also includes an editor’s note for thanking several people for the Jewish history collection. Most illustrations cross the gutter and are placed in a white frame. The story begins with the first sentence in a mustard color fancy font. Then, the remainder font for the soldier and George Washington dialogue is in Times New Roman on a blue background. The Hanukkah discussion is listed in Times New Roman font in black ink on a mustard colored background. The illustrations depicts the old days of log cabin houses, lack of clothes & food, and warmth. Candles are used, since electricity wasn’t invented. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah illustrations depict Greek and Roman attire with shields and swords along with use of slaves.

Overall, Hanukkah at Valley Forge is a very good story to introduce the Jewish celebration history of Hanukkah to children. Even though the soldier had to escape Poland in order to find freedom in the US, the soldier continues his homeland holidays. This book would make a wonderful addition to a classroom discussion around the Hanukkah celebration. Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, will begin on Thanksgiving Day evening this year. When Hanukkah falls on Thanksgiving Day, it is also known as Thanksgivukkah. In fact, Hanukkah has never fallen on Thanksgiving before and probably never will again. For a classroom activity, I would have the children read this book and another picturebook related to Thanksgiving history. The children can make a menorah to include both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah traditions. This activity would allow children to understand that you can combine both holidays in order to not eliminate one.

[Michelle Isenhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most stories that bring history to life are okay in my book, but this one which blends the American Revolution with a much more ancient rebellion, is excellent. Within, George Washington, while looking out over his suffering troops at Valley Forge, sees a light burning in one shelter and finds a young Jewish soldier celebrating the first day of Hanukkah. The tale is based on the journal entry of a young woman who dined with George Washington a year later. He related such an event during the meal.

Hanukkah is celebrated annually by millions of Jews all around the globe. It commemorates the successful Maccabean Rebellion. In the 167 BC, Judea was under Greek rule. The Jewish temple was ransacked, and the emperor forbade the Jews from worshipping according to their custom. A small band of Jewish peasants fought back and drove out the mighty oppressors. Then the temple was purified and rededicated, and the lampstand that was never supposed to go out was relit, though they only had enough oil to last one day. According to tradition, however, the oil lasted eight days, until more was found. Today, the Jewish people commemorate these events by lighting candles each evening of this eight-day holiday, which usually falls in December (this year Dec. 21-28).

In Hanukkah at Valley Forge, Krensky aligns the Jewish and American rebellions. The stories run parallel to each other, one on blue pages, the other on yellow. They are strikingly similar. In the end, George Washington draws a measure of hope from the ancient tale.

This is a fantastic book from several angles. My son and I read it this year in conjunction with a Revolutionary War history unit. It’s also a great way to become familiar with another culture. But my son and I especially liked it because our family studied Hanukkah two years ago and we’ve celebrated it ever since. No, we’re not Jewish, but it’s a fun family holiday, and the Christian faith shares a history with the Jewish people.

Regardless of your religion, this beautifully-illustrated, cleverly-crafted picture book is a worthwhile read. I would recommend a third or fourth grade audience to fully grasp the historical and political comparisons made within.

[Alexandra Welsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the historical fiction book called Hanukkah at Valley Forge. The story begins with general George Washington discussing the war and his army of men. Some of the men didn't have weapons to defend themselves, clothes to wear, or enough food to eat. Then the general looks through a window and sees a soldier lighting a candle. The soldier is startled by the general and explains that it is the first night of Hanukkah and that is why he is lighting a candle. George Washington did not understand what Hanukkah was so the soldier explains it to him. The soldier explains that in Poland, his homeland, he was not able to practice his religion and beliefs. The soldier goes on to explain that the people of Israel had to follow the Greek idols and their beliefs. The soldier explains a battle that occurred in which Judah and his army won, therefore, the people of Israel were able to practice their religion. They lit the menorah and it lasted eight days without oil. So, the soldier explain that he lit the first candle to celebrate the festival of lights and he will continue lighting the rest of them.
The age range of this story is intermediate because it has a lot of words and some difficult vocabulary. It is a historical story that goes in depth about the history of Jewish people and how they fought for their beliefs. An older child would understand the story better than a younger one.
The illustrations look like they are done with watercolor paints. The illustrations are detailed and convey the emotions of the characters. The facial features on the people are detailed and very real-looking.
I would recommend this book, but I did not love it. It did not really capture my interest. I do like how it alternated between the current time, when the soldier is speaking to George Washington, and the past, when the soldier id describing the battle that the Jewish people were involved in.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audience: Pre-K - 3rd grade; American history, Jewish beliefs and history, tolerance of other religions.

Appeal: This book is based on actual events that occurred in the life of George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. The story begins with George Washington feeling overwhelmed about his troops being ill prepared for the winter with inadequate supplies including the lack of shoes, coats, and food. As he is walking, he passes the tent where a soldier is lighting a single candle and softly speaking in Hebrew. He enters the tent, and the Polish soldier is at first alarmed that he has been caught honoring the first night of Hanukkah. As the story unfolds we understand why the soldier was initially frightened, why Hanukkah is celebrated, and, my personal favorite, is we get to see a side of George Washington often left out of history books. This is a great book to teach tolerance of other religions and to show that this has been happening for a long time. A bonus to this book is the ‘Author’s Notes’ that explain where he got the idea for the story and how he went about writing it. An excellent read for any age that shows a side of war usually left out of textbooks and explains how George Washington found the courage to continue with his fight for our freedom – thanks to a single soldier and the story of his faith.

Award: 2007 The Sydney Taylor Book Award

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. The story is about how George Washington stopped by a soldier's cabin while making his rounds during a winter battle. He came upon the soldier mumbling a prayer in front of a candle. When Washington asked what he was doing the soldier began his tale about the Jewish faith and the story behind the menorah. I especially liked how the author weaved the tale between the reality of the current situation and that of the Jewish people fighting the Greeks. The pictures were a watercolor of sorts and quite beautiful. If I were to use this book in a class setting it would most likely be as an introduction on the subject of Hanukkah. It would make a great "teaser" of sorts as far as the history of Hanukkah introduced in an interesting format.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

General Washington walks through his camp a Valley Forge. He sees a light in a tent, and comes across a young Polish soldier, lighting his first Hanukkah candle. Washington, unfamiliar with the holiday, asks the man to explain. The story of the unlikely sucess of the Maccabee's is then paralled with that of the American army at Valley Forge. Blue and Yellow pages seperate the two stories.

I loved this book! It is made even more wonderful because it is true, and they even took the dialogue from Washington's own known responses.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful read-aloud during the holidays for fourth through sixth graders who are studying American history-- Krensky does a beautiful job tying together the struggles that Washington was facing in December 1777 with the struggles of the Israelites as they faced down their bigger opponent thousands of years ago. Krensky's note at the end also lends itself to a good discussion of history versus historical fiction, since he's clear about the fact that this is a fictionalized account of something with a historical kernal.

[Judi Paradis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story based on actual evidence that George Washington learned about Hanukkah from a Polish soldier camped with him at Valley Forge. In this account, General Washington takes much hope from the story. Stephen Krensky draws interesting parallels between the fight of the Colonial army and the fight of the Macabees in ancient Israel. Highly recommended