Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9781932416879
ISBN: 1932416870
Label: McSweeney's
Manufacturer: McSweeney's
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 48
Publication Date: 2007-10-28
Publisher: McSweeney's
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Studio: McSweeney's

Customer Rating:
Summary: The Lemony Snicket Who Wouldn't Stop Screaming
Comment: This is the worst children's book I have read for a long time, and that's saying something, considering the junk that is on a market which I try to keep myself informed upon. Tell me something, Mr. Snicket: would you tolerate a book containing the level of prejudice yours contains, if its sentiments were antisemitic rather than antichristian? I am a Christian, but I stand up for the Jews when I hear antisemitic comments. You are obviously not interested in combating prejudice, but in promoting your own ideology at the expense of others. Why don't you find something more important to scream about than people confusing two holidays together, something like the plight of your people in Israel at this moment? I don't know why you should even care about the "real" meaning of Hanukkah since you are an atheist to begin with. And you seem to forget that there are many Christians who care about and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, that it is not just about presents and candy to us, and that some of the objects we use in celebrating it are also symbolic, as are those used to celebrate Hanukkah. If someone wishes me a happy Hanukkah, it does not offend me or make me have an identity crisis; if I thought you felt the same way, I would wish you a merry Christmas.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A story that educates and entertains
Comment: A latke makes a quick getaway from a frying pan hoping to challenge its fate, and so begins this Chanukah adventure. Along its journey, the latke encounters a Christmas tree, Christmas lights and a candy cane. Lemony Snicket's, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: a Christmas Story, is a clever tale that offers a cursory overview of the history and meaning of Chanukah; simultaneously presenting a unique perspective of how it feels to celebrate a holiday that has no affiliation to the tsunami of all holidays, Christmas.

Because of its proximity to Christmas, Chanukah is often thought to be the Jewish version of that holiday. The Latke who Couldn't Stop Screaming provides the reader a tongue-in-cheek look into some of the real frustrations Jews face when dealing with misconceptions about Chanukah. The candy cane thinks that someone should write a carol about the latke; the Christmas lights, mistaking the delicacy for hash browns, envision the latke looking sublime next to a Christmas ham, and on it goes. The whimsical illustrations by Lisa Brown, keep the tale light, while the author vigorously repeats the theme that Chanukah is not related to Christmas. In the final pages of the story we see a Jewish family searching in the woods, the father holding an ax. When they come upon the perfect Christmas tree the family rejoices, but when the father peers under the tree and sees a latke, he is reminded of his own birthright. The importance of respecting one's cultural heritage is brought to the fore.

The author details some of the differences between the two holidays, such as the fact that gifts play a minimal role in the Chanukah celebration, also noting that the menorah candles are not just for ornamentation, but that they symbolize the Jewish history of survival. The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming serves as a reminder to Jews of the power and beauty of their faith, while for non-Jews it is a primer, educating them about the differences between the two holidays. The overwhelming message is that all traditions are meaningful and unique, and must be honored as such. This tale is audacious and creative, and a welcomed addition to the holiday genre.

Quill says: A wonderful book for both children and parents that educates and entertains.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Instant Holiday Classic!
Comment: What a hilarious and intelligent little book! It actually gets across all the real stories about chanukah, plus a message of tolerance, plus it's a hoot. My 3 year olds, 7 year old, and myself all loved reading it. Instant Classic in our house.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Ahhhhhh!
Comment: I immediately bought one for each member of my family. My son, who is too young to really understand the humor, loved yelling "ahhhhh!" along with the story each time. Great book-great message.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming!
Comment: Lemony Snicket surely must have been one of those children who saw the story of the Gingerbread Man in a different light. The fate of a talking cookie eaten by a fox and suffering horrible agony offers a myriad of macabre scenarios to a certain type of kid. Now he brings his particular brand of wry adult humor to the story of Hanukah by introducing us to an unfortunate latke with a doomed destiny. The very amusing story takes place at the time of year "during which children pressed their faces to the windows looking for a glimpse of a man who they suspected of bringing them wonderful gifts". The children of the village hear a terrible noise. The droll narration explains that this is the noise of a newly born latke "slapped into a pan full of olive oil and heated to a very high temperature". As the potato pancake runs screaming through the village, he passes various secular items that relate to an unnamed winter holiday, such as flashing colored lights, a candy cane, and a pine tree. Each successive encounter provides the latke with the opportunity for a hurried explanation of his life's purpose. "My mouthwatering smell is part of the cozy feeling of Hanukah...It reminds us that things are better now then they were in 175 BCE, when my people were not allowed to practice their religion." Unfortunately for the latke, the symbols prove to be a bit daft, and fail to grasp that the poor guy has nothing to do with Christmas. This infuriates the misunderstood latke, who continues screaming, although by now he has traveled far from the boiling oil. Eventually a cheerful (Jewish) family enters the pine forest where the exhausted latke is trying to explain to a tree why the concept of presents for Hanukah is not such a big deal. They scoop up the latke and bring him home. The last page is worth printing in its entirety for the author's dry take on the modern Hanukah/Christmas Dilemma:

It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world. If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream. But somewhere in the world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber, or a potato pancake. On a cold, snowy night, everyone and everything should be welcomed somewhere, and the latke was welcomed into a home full of people who understood what a latke is, and how it fits into its particular holiday.

And then they ate it. AAAHHHH!! Reviewed by Lisa Silverman

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