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American Girl: Rebecca #3
Candlelight for Rebecca
Rebecca's teacher assigns the class to make Christmas decorations--but Rebecca's family is Jewish and doesn't celebrate Christmas. Her teacher tells her that Christmas is a national holiday, for all Americans to celebrate. Although her parents came from Russia, Rebecca knows she's as American as anyone else, even without celebrating Christmas. Could her teacher be wrong? If Rebecca does the project, her family is sure to be upset; if she doesn't, her teacher will be displeased. Then, on the first night of Hanukkah, Rebecca finds kindness in an unexpected place--and learns the real meaning of the holiday season.
77 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2009
4 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Dembar Greene
46 books33 followersMs. Greene is an American author of more than 30 books and stories for young readers. In addition to her American Girl series, some of her notable books of fiction include: Out of Many Waters, a historical novel about the first Jewish settlement in America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
September 23, 2025
Another honest book about what life might have been like at this time and place, and the different thoughts, beliefs, and struggles they might have had.
Where Rebecca didn't make the same decision I would have, I believe it could and did happen that way historically. I also liked the way she chose to do what she did. It warmed my heart.
I learned things!
Great historical note!
Where Rebecca didn't make the same decision I would have, I believe it could and did happen that way historically. I also liked the way she chose to do what she did. It warmed my heart.
I learned things!
Great historical note!
December 7, 2024
Read this all in one sitting and it took 30 mins😂 Anyways, I enjoyed it, especially the ending where Rebecca learned Christmas and Hanukkah-celebraters can enjoy each other’s holiday without celebrating it! It still makes me sad to think how close Jewish people are to being saved😔 I grew up with a friend also named Rebecca (😂) who was a messianic Jew so she celebrated both in a way! I’m ranting now haha😆
December 5, 2010
I was pretty annoyed at the messages in this book. I don't think it's necessary for Jewish children to accommodate the Christian majority by making Christmas symbols in school. Clearly the book is set at a different time, but the message sent by it is clearly that Jews who honor Christmas are doing the right thing even if it means being untrue to who they are. Also, there's more than one conversation about Hanukkah not being a very important holiday. As in, other people say it's not that important compared to other Jewish holidays and Rebecca doesn't get it. I find it very hard to believe that a child would not know which are the most important holidays that they celebrate. If Rebecca was raised Jewish she would certainly know which Jewish holidays were the most important.
It's too bad though because the question of how those that practice minority religions are affected by the majority holidays is a good one. It was just handled all wrong.
It's too bad though because the question of how those that practice minority religions are affected by the majority holidays is a good one. It was just handled all wrong.
May 11, 2010
oof. this one started off with some incredibly heavy-handed exposition regarding the meaning of hannukah. but it got a little better. rebecca is all excited for hannukah because she gets to wear her special occasion holiday dress & eat latkes & get a chance to light a candle on the menorah & play dreidl games, etc. but at school, her teacher hands out red candles, pine boughs, berries, & pine cones, & tells everyone that they're going to be making christmas centerpieces because christmas is a national holiday that everyone celebrates. i seriously wanted to leap into this book & throttle this teacher! rebecca's friend rose is not psyched (nor is rebecca) & stands up to say that her family doesn't celebrate christmas & she's not sure it's right for her to make a chistmas centerpiece. the teacher basically says, "shut the eff up, kid, only godless heathens don't celebrate christmas, & you're not a heathen, are you?" she strong-arms all the kids into making these damn centerpieces.
rebecca is very concerned that it is wrong for her to make the centerpiece. she asks her father & her grandpa a whole lot of questions about the importance of hannukah to jewish religious tradition (which is just basically a way to provide the story of the magical oil that lasted for eight days to any uninformed goyim/secular jews that may be reading), & she realizes that she does feel hannukah is important...but she's also been taught that it's important to do what the teacher says. rebecca makes her centerpiece & it turns out really well. the teacher holds it up as an example for all of the class. rose puts zero effort into her centerpiece & admits that she plans to throw it away rather than take it home. rebecca is sad about that, because she thinks the centerpiece is too pretty to throw away. but she also worries that her parents & grandparents will be angry with her for making a christmas decoration. her older sisters got in trouble for wearing red ribbons & bells in their hair, i guess because they were a little too christmas-y.
meanwhile, the super in rebecca's building has a bad cold & rebecca volunteers to help him out with his duties. he has her look for his missing cat, pasta, & feed the pigeons he keeps on the roof. rebecca discovers that some of the pigeons are carrier pigeons when one shows up with a message for mr. rossi. rebecca is desperately curious about what the message is, but mr. rossi isn't the kind of dude who seems like he wants to chat it up all afternoon, you know? rebecca finds pasta in the basement with a couple of brand new kittens. she takes the mother cat a dish of milk to keep her strength up while nursing.
this goes on for a while. rebecca angsts over her centerpiece, & she feeds the pigeons & the cats. finally she gets the nerve to ask mr. rossi what the message said. apparently it was a note inviting him to his brother's place in new jersey for christmas dinner. rebecca encourages him to go & says it's a short trip with the ferry. mr. rossi decides to do it if rebecca can help out with the animals while he's gone. rebecca also brings home her centerpiece. she cries & apologizes for making a christmas centerpiece, but her mother says she's glad that rebecca did so well on schoolwork (like this fucked up assimiliationist bullshit assignment should actually count as "schoolwork"! if i was rebecca's mom, i would have been down at that school complaining so fast...). rebecca gets the bright idea to give the centerpiece to mr. rossi, who is alone & actually does celebrate christmas. so she does. everyone is happy. go hannukah!
rebecca is very concerned that it is wrong for her to make the centerpiece. she asks her father & her grandpa a whole lot of questions about the importance of hannukah to jewish religious tradition (which is just basically a way to provide the story of the magical oil that lasted for eight days to any uninformed goyim/secular jews that may be reading), & she realizes that she does feel hannukah is important...but she's also been taught that it's important to do what the teacher says. rebecca makes her centerpiece & it turns out really well. the teacher holds it up as an example for all of the class. rose puts zero effort into her centerpiece & admits that she plans to throw it away rather than take it home. rebecca is sad about that, because she thinks the centerpiece is too pretty to throw away. but she also worries that her parents & grandparents will be angry with her for making a christmas decoration. her older sisters got in trouble for wearing red ribbons & bells in their hair, i guess because they were a little too christmas-y.
meanwhile, the super in rebecca's building has a bad cold & rebecca volunteers to help him out with his duties. he has her look for his missing cat, pasta, & feed the pigeons he keeps on the roof. rebecca discovers that some of the pigeons are carrier pigeons when one shows up with a message for mr. rossi. rebecca is desperately curious about what the message is, but mr. rossi isn't the kind of dude who seems like he wants to chat it up all afternoon, you know? rebecca finds pasta in the basement with a couple of brand new kittens. she takes the mother cat a dish of milk to keep her strength up while nursing.
this goes on for a while. rebecca angsts over her centerpiece, & she feeds the pigeons & the cats. finally she gets the nerve to ask mr. rossi what the message said. apparently it was a note inviting him to his brother's place in new jersey for christmas dinner. rebecca encourages him to go & says it's a short trip with the ferry. mr. rossi decides to do it if rebecca can help out with the animals while he's gone. rebecca also brings home her centerpiece. she cries & apologizes for making a christmas centerpiece, but her mother says she's glad that rebecca did so well on schoolwork (like this fucked up assimiliationist bullshit assignment should actually count as "schoolwork"! if i was rebecca's mom, i would have been down at that school complaining so fast...). rebecca gets the bright idea to give the centerpiece to mr. rossi, who is alone & actually does celebrate christmas. so she does. everyone is happy. go hannukah!
December 7, 2021
The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult, inspired by the American Girls podcast.
Reading this immediately after “Rebecca and Ana,” I’m left wanting to know more about how things are going for Ana and her family, who barely appear in this one. But without them, there’s more room for focus on other family members, particularly Rebecca’s sisters and grandparents. And cranky old Mr. Rossi. And his animals. (Wait, in AG, animals are for birthdays! What are they doing in the holiday story?)
Greene always gives Rebecca a dilemma to chew over throughout the book — selling pieces of her trousseau, planning for the solo that becomes a duet. Here the problem is that Rebecca’s teacher decides to have the class make Christmas decorations and won’t listen to any concerns from students who don’t celebrate Christmas. We get a range of reactions from Rebecca's Jewish friends, which is lovely. At first, Rebecca's instinct is to talk it over with her mother, and it's a little frustrating that that never happens: circumstances don't line up, and eventually Rebecca decides to she doesn't want to talk about it after all. In the end, the family member Rebecca was so sure wouldn't approve of the decoration — right from the beginning — turns out to react far more supportively. It's a sweet turnaround that surprises us nearly as much as Rebecca. As an adult, the solution for the centerpiece is obvious, especially once the animal-feeding duties come into it, but it's still a nice moment.
Rebecca's parents stay largely in the background this time around (perhaps because their greater involvement would have solved Rebecca's dilemma too quickly), but we get key scenes with her grandparents. Rebecca's conversation with her grandfather about the meaning and relative importance of Hannukah is a lovely moment. I also like the way Greene notes where they switch from English to Yiddish, a note of realism true to any immigrant family.
The other family members who get more time in the spotlight this time are twins Sadie and Sophie, who are trying to borrow elements of the Christmas celebrations around them into their own Hannukah traditions, from jingle bells to gift-giving. (We don't get to see the gifts given, so we're left to assume that no one raises more than a token objection.) With only a little goading, they bring Rebecca into their plans, building out a sisterly bond in a way we hadn't seen before. That's really sweet, too.
We also get a nearly Scrooge-level softening from Mr. Rossi, who threatened to report the Rubins last book when the new arrivals were staying with them. But after Rebecca offers to help feed the pigeons and the cats while he has a cold, suddenly he's opening up about his family and even giving her candlesticks that belonged to his late wife. (Remember how utterly crazy for candlesticks Rebecca was just two books ago? Check and check.)
Reading this immediately after “Rebecca and Ana,” I’m left wanting to know more about how things are going for Ana and her family, who barely appear in this one. But without them, there’s more room for focus on other family members, particularly Rebecca’s sisters and grandparents. And cranky old Mr. Rossi. And his animals. (Wait, in AG, animals are for birthdays! What are they doing in the holiday story?)
Greene always gives Rebecca a dilemma to chew over throughout the book — selling pieces of her trousseau, planning for the solo that becomes a duet. Here the problem is that Rebecca’s teacher decides to have the class make Christmas decorations and won’t listen to any concerns from students who don’t celebrate Christmas. We get a range of reactions from Rebecca's Jewish friends, which is lovely. At first, Rebecca's instinct is to talk it over with her mother, and it's a little frustrating that that never happens: circumstances don't line up, and eventually Rebecca decides to she doesn't want to talk about it after all. In the end, the family member Rebecca was so sure wouldn't approve of the decoration — right from the beginning — turns out to react far more supportively. It's a sweet turnaround that surprises us nearly as much as Rebecca. As an adult, the solution for the centerpiece is obvious, especially once the animal-feeding duties come into it, but it's still a nice moment.
Rebecca's parents stay largely in the background this time around (perhaps because their greater involvement would have solved Rebecca's dilemma too quickly), but we get key scenes with her grandparents. Rebecca's conversation with her grandfather about the meaning and relative importance of Hannukah is a lovely moment. I also like the way Greene notes where they switch from English to Yiddish, a note of realism true to any immigrant family.
The other family members who get more time in the spotlight this time are twins Sadie and Sophie, who are trying to borrow elements of the Christmas celebrations around them into their own Hannukah traditions, from jingle bells to gift-giving. (We don't get to see the gifts given, so we're left to assume that no one raises more than a token objection.) With only a little goading, they bring Rebecca into their plans, building out a sisterly bond in a way we hadn't seen before. That's really sweet, too.
We also get a nearly Scrooge-level softening from Mr. Rossi, who threatened to report the Rubins last book when the new arrivals were staying with them. But after Rebecca offers to help feed the pigeons and the cats while he has a cold, suddenly he's opening up about his family and even giving her candlesticks that belonged to his late wife. (Remember how utterly crazy for candlesticks Rebecca was just two books ago? Check and check.)
December 8, 2021
CWs:
I’m actually really impressed with how this book and historical note addressed religious assimilation in the U.S.
Candlelight for Rebecca features the struggle of Rebecca being true to herself and her religion in a country that sees Christianity (and therefore Christmas) as its national religion. Despite what Rebecca’s assimilationist teacher says, Rebecca and her family/friends are right—Christmas isn’t a religiously neutral holiday.
The historical note at the end is surprisingly eloquent on this issue. Props to author Jacqueline Dembar Greene and American Girl.
I’m actually really impressed with how this book and historical note addressed religious assimilation in the U.S.
Candlelight for Rebecca features the struggle of Rebecca being true to herself and her religion in a country that sees Christianity (and therefore Christmas) as its national religion. Despite what Rebecca’s assimilationist teacher says, Rebecca and her family/friends are right—Christmas isn’t a religiously neutral holiday.
The historical note at the end is surprisingly eloquent on this issue. Props to author Jacqueline Dembar Greene and American Girl.
October 12, 2025
i found my american girl books we’re so back
November 28, 2024
Precious AND festive?!!!
June 11, 2022
3.5 stars, bumped up slightly because I think it's the best book in Rebecca's series.
Re-read 2022: If only non-Christian children getting pressured into celebrating Christian holidays at school were a purely historical issue. Dembar Greene basically presents this as the status quo, which is at least historically accurate, so there's no real attempt by any characters to push back. Instead, she shows three different reactions to having to make Christmas decorations at school: Rose, who puts in the bare minimum effort then immediately throws the decoration away, Rebecca's other schoolmates, who take it in stride, and Rebecca, who is conflicted. Again, there's no notion that Rebecca could push back at school, so her only question is what to do with the decoration once its made. It isn't Jewish, but it is pretty, and she feels bad about throwing it away even knowing that it probably wouldn't be welcome at home. Re-reading, I was surprised that it seemed like the lesson was assimilate as much as possible in public and do what you want privately, and that didn't really sit well with me this time around.
Re-read 2022: If only non-Christian children getting pressured into celebrating Christian holidays at school were a purely historical issue. Dembar Greene basically presents this as the status quo, which is at least historically accurate, so there's no real attempt by any characters to push back. Instead, she shows three different reactions to having to make Christmas decorations at school: Rose, who puts in the bare minimum effort then immediately throws the decoration away, Rebecca's other schoolmates, who take it in stride, and Rebecca, who is conflicted. Again, there's no notion that Rebecca could push back at school, so her only question is what to do with the decoration once its made. It isn't Jewish, but it is pretty, and she feels bad about throwing it away even knowing that it probably wouldn't be welcome at home. Re-reading, I was surprised that it seemed like the lesson was assimilate as much as possible in public and do what you want privately, and that didn't really sit well with me this time around.
July 13, 2018
Hmmm, 1914 seems to equal 2018. Quite interesting how the struggles Rebecca's family are still real today. I love how Grandpa tells Rebecca about being free to celebrate their holidays. I wish everyone would remember that about the US. Everyone is supposed to be able to celebrate their holidays and traditions without fear. Enough soap box, onto the real review.
Candlelight for Rebecca is the holiday story in the series. In it the reader learns a lot about Hannukah and the festival of lights as well as how Christmas was perceived at the time. One of the side plots deals with a school project and another with helping a sick friend. Altogether a nice story with a conflict that is less stressful than the previous installment.
Rebecca is a very nice girl. She grows as she learns more about the people around her. She also finds out how her inferences can cause problems for her.
As always i loved the history in the back and the illustrations. This one included Hannukah as well as a bit on early department stores.
An easy read for an adult; a good chapter book for a younger reader. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Candlelight for Rebecca is the holiday story in the series. In it the reader learns a lot about Hannukah and the festival of lights as well as how Christmas was perceived at the time. One of the side plots deals with a school project and another with helping a sick friend. Altogether a nice story with a conflict that is less stressful than the previous installment.
Rebecca is a very nice girl. She grows as she learns more about the people around her. She also finds out how her inferences can cause problems for her.
As always i loved the history in the back and the illustrations. This one included Hannukah as well as a bit on early department stores.
An easy read for an adult; a good chapter book for a younger reader. Thoroughly enjoyable.
December 23, 2019
Still desperately wishing to be just a tiny bit Jewish so I have a good excuse for celebrating Hannukah!!!!
December 5, 2021
Now, why did they have the one Italian character name his cat “Pasta.” 💀
December 8, 2019
Really liked this one! Candlelight continues the themes around assimilation and being American from Rebecca and Ana, where Miss Maloney has the class make Christmas centerpieces as a fun and festive classroom activity... even though several students don't actually celebrate the Christian holiday. Meanwhile, downstairs neighbor Mr. Rossi is sick and needs Rebecca's help in feeding his pigeons and finding his cat.
Conversations also go over how Hanukkah isn't necessarily a MAJOR holiday in the Jewish calendar, but due to seasonal proximity to Christmas and capitalism, it's become a larger deal in the United States, and the importance of family.
edit: just remembered- early on at school, the book describes Miss Maloney running the students through exercise, partially to warm them up but also general stretches and health- it reminds me of Samantha doing the same in her books set a decade earlier!
Conversations also go over how Hanukkah isn't necessarily a MAJOR holiday in the Jewish calendar, but due to seasonal proximity to Christmas and capitalism, it's become a larger deal in the United States, and the importance of family.
edit: just remembered- early on at school, the book describes Miss Maloney running the students through exercise, partially to warm them up but also general stretches and health- it reminds me of Samantha doing the same in her books set a decade earlier!
February 22, 2022
I really enjoyed "Candlelight for Rebecca". It's a fun and informative way for kids to learn about Hanukkah (if they don't know already).
In this book and the last, I do think Rebecca's teacher, Miss Maloney, is a bit narrow-minded. She assumes everyone is just like her. I wish she would have considered Rose's feelings when she protested about making the Christmas decoration. I think most kids would react like Rebecca, doing as they're told and not making a fuss, but feeling confused and guilty. When my mother was seven, she experienced something similar in reverse (she was a gentile growing up in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood) and she reacted in a similar way as Rebecca.
I like that Rebecca was kind enough to offer her help to Mr. Rossi even though she doesn't really like him. And I like the way her generosity pays off when she finds out Mr. Rossi isn't as bad as she believed. A perfect answer to her problem about the Christmas decoration. I also liked that her sisters were nicer in this book. Their present for Rebecca was very sweet. One does not need to spend money to give a gift that is truly appreciated.
In this book and the last, I do think Rebecca's teacher, Miss Maloney, is a bit narrow-minded. She assumes everyone is just like her. I wish she would have considered Rose's feelings when she protested about making the Christmas decoration. I think most kids would react like Rebecca, doing as they're told and not making a fuss, but feeling confused and guilty. When my mother was seven, she experienced something similar in reverse (she was a gentile growing up in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood) and she reacted in a similar way as Rebecca.
I like that Rebecca was kind enough to offer her help to Mr. Rossi even though she doesn't really like him. And I like the way her generosity pays off when she finds out Mr. Rossi isn't as bad as she believed. A perfect answer to her problem about the Christmas decoration. I also liked that her sisters were nicer in this book. Their present for Rebecca was very sweet. One does not need to spend money to give a gift that is truly appreciated.
January 29, 2025
Love how this book had the same subplot as Home Alone where the main character finds out that the local old man she was afraid of and thought was mean and grouchy is actually nice and just lonely 😂 Give John Hughes a writing credit on this book
Also I was a little critical in the first book for having elements that were derivative of previous American Girl stories, so even though it was a very small subplot in this book I do have to point out that Felicity had the exact same subplot in her Christmas book where her mother isn’t able to finish her new holiday dress but it ends up getting finished by someone unexpected in an act of generosity (Felicity’s friend Elizabeth and her family, and Rebecca’s older sisters Sadie and Sophie, respectively.)
(Also justice for Sadie and Sophie that no one was mad or disappointed in Rebecca for making the Christmas centerpiece but their mom went so aggro on them for wearing totally innocuous hair ribbons with bells)
Also I was a little critical in the first book for having elements that were derivative of previous American Girl stories, so even though it was a very small subplot in this book I do have to point out that Felicity had the exact same subplot in her Christmas book where her mother isn’t able to finish her new holiday dress but it ends up getting finished by someone unexpected in an act of generosity (Felicity’s friend Elizabeth and her family, and Rebecca’s older sisters Sadie and Sophie, respectively.)
(Also justice for Sadie and Sophie that no one was mad or disappointed in Rebecca for making the Christmas centerpiece but their mom went so aggro on them for wearing totally innocuous hair ribbons with bells)
March 4, 2019
I really enjoyed seeing Rebecca's growing maturity as she recognizes the way society impacts her family and the other people in her life. I enjoyed seeing how she's recognizing that Mr. Rossi, the building manager, may be grumpy because he misses his family, not because he's an awful old man. The way she learned about her own family's history and their religious traditions, and how often newcomers to America are expected, even forced, to put aside their own histories and traditions in favor of being "a Basic American." (My words, not from the story.) I appreciated how Rebecca found the ability to appreciate the beauty of the traditions of those around her, while holding true to the traditions of her family. Looking forward to the final 3 books in this series.
August 19, 2023
I especially loved this American Girl book as a kid. I didn’t know why when I first read it, but now I think I get it. This book was about the struggle between celebrating your own traditions and fitting into the dominant culture. Do you assimilate to fit in or do you rebel and get punished for it? As a little kid who wanted to sing Christmas carols, surrounded by secular Americans who still celebrated Christmas, I related to the other Rebecca without realizing it. And now, I realize why this book in particular has such an impact on me.
June 6, 2025
I really loved how the author explained Hanukkah in a way that kids would be able to understand.
I don’t like how Rebecca spites her sisters sometimes. I understand how it can be annoying for her to be left out but I didn’t like how this book had a little bit of retaliation (page 37).
Also, I really disliked how Mr. Rossi pulled Rebecca into his room on page 58. I feel like that was not an appropriate response.
No other content to note.
See my full review here: https://kbook-reviews.blogspot.com/20...
I don’t like how Rebecca spites her sisters sometimes. I understand how it can be annoying for her to be left out but I didn’t like how this book had a little bit of retaliation (page 37).
Also, I really disliked how Mr. Rossi pulled Rebecca into his room on page 58. I feel like that was not an appropriate response.
No other content to note.
See my full review here: https://kbook-reviews.blogspot.com/20...
January 15, 2023
This is the first book in the Rebecca series I read. I grew up with the original American Girls series: Molly, Samantha, Kirsten, Felicity, and Addy. This piqued my interest and reminded me of the original historical series. It is a very interesting time period in American history and I like that assimilation and being different were addressed in this book. I also love the Peak Into the Past section in the back of the book. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
April 25, 2023
It is a very interesting historical perspective to see how many of the immigrants were very interested in “becoming American” as quickly and as thoroughly as possible (with some still retaining the culture and traditions of their country-of-origin/ethnicity in private). The moral questions raised and answered in various ways in this book are thought-provoking.
December 29, 2023
I like the american girl books, because they combine learning about history with children´s stories. That way not only do children want to read more books, they also learn thnigs about history while doing so. Also the last few pages about the actual history are nice, because they give interested children the chance for more insight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2024
4 stars. I liked it but it wasn't my favorite. I liked learning about Hanukah traditions but I really wish that there had been some push back with the teacher pushing Christmas on the non Christian students like Rebecca. That was unfortunate but it's also true to the time but still just a bit of pushback would've been great.
October 24, 2024
this book was leaps and bounds better then the first two in the series - it's shocking how much better paced this one was!
i felt like it handled its themes with a lot of maturity and grace, while still remaining accessible for its young audience. there's no one-size-fits-all verdict on assimilation - different characters are allowed to share their different perspectives.
i felt like it handled its themes with a lot of maturity and grace, while still remaining accessible for its young audience. there's no one-size-fits-all verdict on assimilation - different characters are allowed to share their different perspectives.
July 26, 2017
This is probably my favorite of the Rebecca books so far. I liked how the author talked about both Christmas and hannakkah and how both celebrations and customs were handled.
I do wish the author had gone into more detail about what hanakkah is and why it's celebrated.
I do wish the author had gone into more detail about what hanakkah is and why it's celebrated.
December 12, 2021
Another great book about Rebecca. She's a very relatable character, even though her story is from 100 years ago. This is a great opportunity to help modern Christians understand how non-Christians may feel and have a little more sensitivity toward people who are different from them.
May 22, 2022
So tbh this one is a bit of an awkward read. It's basically religion vs religion. It's how Christianity is forced on students regardless of the students personal beliefs. Of course that still is an issue today. The whole time I was like 😬.
June 7, 2022
A nice holiday story but I wish it focused on a different holiday instead of Chanukah. At least the author discussed how Chanukah is a minor holiday.
I wish the author had called out the teacher’s problematic behavior what it was - antisemitic.
I wish the author had called out the teacher’s problematic behavior what it was - antisemitic.
March 23, 2025
I love love love that this is the traditional Christmas book of the series and that it addresses what it’s like to not celebrate Christmas - but feel the pressure to conform to American ideals. I’m glad Rebecca’s family held up their beliefs.
June 25, 2017
Paige's literary girls.
December 23, 2017
i liked it very much
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews