Whether you are looking for a quick Hanukkah read aloud to share with students on one of the days leading up to winter break or are doing a holidays around the world unit and need a collection of Hanukkah books for kids, this list of Hanukkah children’s books has you covered!
These Hanukkah stories are a great way to teach and celebrate this special holiday to your elementary students. Both Hanukkah stories included on this list were carefully selected and are sure to help students better understand and appreciate the holiday. Check them out below!
Latke, the Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer
In Latke, the Lucky Dog, Zoe and Zach got to pick out a dog as a Hanukkah present. They chose a medium, playful dog and named him Latke. When Latke makes it home, he is very excited about his new house. He thinks he is so lucky to live with Zoe and Zach. When Latke sees treats on the table, he thinks he can eat them because it is his home. Latke is curious about candles so he chews them. He keeps chewing and slobbering on things and his family starts to get angry and upset. Latke worries that his family will bring him back to the shelter.
Eventually, Latke learned that he should only be eating his food, and his family gave him a chew toy as a Hanukkah gift. Students will love this story about a puppy adjusting to his new home. This book is a great way to teach students about Hanukkah traditions. I liked it so much I added it to my Starts With a Story collection!
Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe
The story Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf is about an elf named Shmelf who works in Santa’s workshop. Shmelf’s job is to check the naughty and nice list. Shmelf discovers that there are lots of boys and girls who should get presents but aren’t. He learns that those children are Jewish and celebrate Hanukkah.
Shmelf goes to the home of a Jewish family to learn about Hanukkah and its different traditions. When he returns to the North Pole, he tells Santa everything he learned and Santa decides to make him Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf. This book is a great way to recognize Hanukkah in the classroom. I liked this picture book so much I added it to my Starts With a Story collection!
Get All of the Hanukkah Book Activities!
This list of Hanukkah books make great read alouds for the month of December. They offer elementary students the opportunity to learn about the special holiday in a fun and engaging way. Your students will love listening to these Hanukkah stories, sharing their connections, and participating in thoughtful conversations about the holiday. Scoop up all of the activity packets based on the picture books featured in this post below!
Or Get All of the Activity Packets for 600+ Picture Books!
Starts with a Story is a collection of hundreds of book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Each book companion includes:
- reading comprehension questions with sample student responses
- 30 writing prompts targeting 10 different types of writing
- SEL lesson ideas based on character and events from each story
- printable student activities
- editable teaching slides with book-based clipart
- and more.
Learn how to get unlimited access to all 600+ book companion packets below!
Teachers Love these Other Hanukkah Activities for Kids
We have lots of Hanukkah activities you can use in your classroom. Check out the blog post Hanukkah Activities for Kids to get more ideas and teaching resources!
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One Last Thing Before You Go… Grab this Free Reading Resource!
If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It includes:
- seasonal read aloud books lists for teachers
- printable reading logs to track students’ reading
- monthly reading challenges to motivate students to read more
It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
In closing, we hope you found this list of Hanukkah books for kids helpful! If you are a member of Starts With a Story, you have access to all of these book companion activities. Lastly, you may also be interested in these winter books for kids if you love read alouds like us!
