The Littlest Candle: A Hanukkah Story

Product Description

Little Flicker is always cheering his friends on with words of encouragement and support. But as the smallest candle in the box, why should he be chosen to be the shamash in the Hanukkah menorah? Isn’t the job of lighting all the others candles too big for him? As it turns out, it’s the size of your heart that matters, and in that department, Little Flicker is huge!
This book’s bright and quirky illustrations make it easy to imagine the possibility of a world where candles walk, talk, dance, and sing. Kids will love exploring the details of Little Flicker’s life inside his cozy drawer.

Review

From School Library Journal
“In this feel-good story, Flicker, one of the candles in the Hanukkah drawer, knows he will not be the first to be lighted because he is the smallest and his wick is not “high enough to be seen.” Despite his size, Flicker is the kindest and most thoughtful candle, always cleaning the drawer where he and the other candles are kept, and ever helpful…”
“The Olitzkys serve up a quiet story that is gentle about the foibles of the other candles while nudging Flicker to his place as star of the show. The humans celebrating Hanukkah are of various skin tones and ages…”
“A purposeful story that includes the origins of the holiday, but focuses first on the fruition of a humble wish to shine.”
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From Three Boys and an Old Lady blog
“The Littlest Candle is a great read for new readers. It’s an uplifting story of Little Flicker, the littlest candle in the box and how he earns the right to be the shamash thanks to all his good deeds he’s done for others.
The story is sweet but it’s the end of the book that I think most will love. The end of the book shares more about the history of Hanukkah and some Hanukkah traditions. I struggled about reviewing this book given Hanukkah is a few months away but truth is we could all use a little light right now and Hanukkah is a time of year for families to gather and reflect on sharing our light in this sometimes dark, cold world.
The illustrations are vivid watercolors and showcase the personality of each individual candle in the box. The typeface could be a little larger against the pages of various shades of brown. An enlarged typeface would definitely make for easier reading for those of us reading this book at storytime.
The father/son team of Rabbi Kerry and Rabbi Jesse Olitzky are not new to storytelling. Rabbi Kerry Olitzky has penned several books and although this is Rabbi Jesse Olitzky’s first children’s book he spends a lot of time sharing stories with the children in his congregation.”
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From A Chat with Vera blog
“Some may wonder why a Christian blogger reviews a book distinctively Jewish. I believe that our Christian heritage is rooted not just in Jesus, but in those who went before and are brought alive to us in the Old Testament which is also a history of the Jewish peoples…”
“This uplifting tale is a perfect Hanukkah gift for families to treasure year after year, showing young readers – in the true spirit of the season — that no matter how small they are, with the right attitude and a kind heart, they can make a big difference.”
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Word Spelunking blog
“Little Flicker is always cheering his friends on with words of encouragement and support. But as the smallest candle in the box, why should he be chosen to be the shamash in the Hanukkah menorah? Isn’t the job of lighting all the others candles too big for him? As it turns out, it’s the size of your heart that matters, and in that department, Little Flicker is huge! This book’s bright and quirky illustrations make it easy to imagine the possibility of a world where candles walk, talk, dance, and sing. Kids will love exploring the details of Little Flicker’s life inside his cozy drawer.”
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Mama Likes This blog
“The book is written by two rabbis, so it includes solid facts along with the fictional story. It is recommended for ages 4-7, but can