All the Lights in the Night
Written by: Arthur A. Levine
Illustrated by: James E. Ransome
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grades: 3-5
Awards: None
This story follows two little boys, Moses and Benjamin, around the holiday time. The two of them, their family, and the rest of the Jewish community is facing persecution in Russia. Moses and Benjamin's older brother, David, has sent his family enough money for two more family members to escape the persecution and to join him in Palestine. So their mother helped pack snacks and supplies for Benjamin and Moses for their trek to Palestine. Before they left, their mother gave them a lamp and she said that it has enough oil for them to last for one night. She said that they need to pretend the lamp is a menorah, and that they need to light it up on the first night of Hanukkah and say their blessings once.
The boys loaded themselves onto a potato cart and made their way to the train station. On their way, the boys and cart driver saw soldiers approaching them, so the boys buried themselves in the potatoes to hide. The soldiers didn't think of anything more and let the cart go its way. The boys stopped a farmer friend's farm and they stayed in a warm corner of the barn. Moses had an idea of celebrating Hanukkah early, so he took the lamp out, lit it, and they said their blessings. Benjamin insisted Moses tell the story of Hanukkah just like their father would tell them on the first night.
In the morning, the boys got on the train and made their way to Warsaw. Whenever Benjamin felt homesick, Moses will tell him stories, especially the story of Hanukkah. The boys arrived at Warsaw and made their way to the British Embassy. By the time they got to the British Embassy, the line was super long and that the office was closed as well. It was the first real night of Hanukkah, so Moses took the lamp out, lit it, and others joined them with prayers.
The next morning, the boys got their papers saying that they could enter Palestine. The boys took another long train trip, lasting several days, but during their time, they made friends that gave them pieces of food as they shared their lamp. The boys just needed one boat ride to make it to their brother. The boys paid the captain money, but it was only enough for one person. Moses then realized that he can't leave his brother anywhere, so he told the captain that they have a lamp from their grandmother and gave it to the captain. The captain accepted saying that it can count as an antique. As night drew on the boat, Moses was sorry to Benjamin that he lost their lamp and that there is nothing to light for Hanukkah. Benjamin laughed while looking up and Moses asked what was funny. Benjamin said that they do have light, which is the stars up in the sky.
I enjoyed reading this book and I think that everyone should have this in their classroom library. This book is best fitted for third to fifth graders. This book would be good to read around the holiday season or on a lesson about when Jews faced persecution. Another activity is to have your students sequence the events that occurred in the book.
The boys loaded themselves onto a potato cart and made their way to the train station. On their way, the boys and cart driver saw soldiers approaching them, so the boys buried themselves in the potatoes to hide. The soldiers didn't think of anything more and let the cart go its way. The boys stopped a farmer friend's farm and they stayed in a warm corner of the barn. Moses had an idea of celebrating Hanukkah early, so he took the lamp out, lit it, and they said their blessings. Benjamin insisted Moses tell the story of Hanukkah just like their father would tell them on the first night.
In the morning, the boys got on the train and made their way to Warsaw. Whenever Benjamin felt homesick, Moses will tell him stories, especially the story of Hanukkah. The boys arrived at Warsaw and made their way to the British Embassy. By the time they got to the British Embassy, the line was super long and that the office was closed as well. It was the first real night of Hanukkah, so Moses took the lamp out, lit it, and others joined them with prayers.
The next morning, the boys got their papers saying that they could enter Palestine. The boys took another long train trip, lasting several days, but during their time, they made friends that gave them pieces of food as they shared their lamp. The boys just needed one boat ride to make it to their brother. The boys paid the captain money, but it was only enough for one person. Moses then realized that he can't leave his brother anywhere, so he told the captain that they have a lamp from their grandmother and gave it to the captain. The captain accepted saying that it can count as an antique. As night drew on the boat, Moses was sorry to Benjamin that he lost their lamp and that there is nothing to light for Hanukkah. Benjamin laughed while looking up and Moses asked what was funny. Benjamin said that they do have light, which is the stars up in the sky.
I enjoyed reading this book and I think that everyone should have this in their classroom library. This book is best fitted for third to fifth graders. This book would be good to read around the holiday season or on a lesson about when Jews faced persecution. Another activity is to have your students sequence the events that occurred in the book.
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