Cover image for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Rating Not yet rated Local rating
Year 1994 Edition year
Pages 30 Compact read
Vibe playful mischievous

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Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • You enjoy Eric A. Kimmel’s folkloric storytelling and Jewish-themed picture books.
  • You want a theatrical, illustrated Hanukkah tale about menorahs, goblins, and clever tricks.
  • If you enjoy slow-burn romance, the chapters move briskly from one reveal to the next.

Maybe skip if...

  • You expect modern secular holiday realism rather than folkloric magic and tall-tale humor.
  • You prefer extended chapter books instead of a short 30-page illustrated picture book.
  • You need the newest edition, freshest examples, or the most current framing.

Mood / Vibe Tags

playful mischievous festive folkloric Quick read

Summary

In this 1994 picture book, storyteller Hershel uses clever tricks and candlelit courage to defeat a succession of goblins who sabotage a synagogue’s menorah and the town’s Hanukkah joy.

Edition on file: 1994 • Holiday House • 30 pages • ISBN 9780823411313.

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Why this book now

Classic Hanukkah picture book traditions make Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins a timely read for family celebrations or classroom holiday units.

Reader guide

Quick signals that help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Quick Easy to move through

At roughly 30 pages, this illustrated picture book reads in a single sitting—perfect for bedtime, storytime, or a classroom reading aloud.

What stands out here

This Holiday House edition highlights Kimmel’s lively narrative and the book’s stage-like scenes that invite dramatic reading and discussion of Hanukkah traditions.

Best way to approach it

Read aloud with expressive voices for each goblin and pause at the menorah scenes to let illustrations and ritual details land for listeners.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

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1-sentence hook

Eric A. Kimmel’s Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins follows quick-witted Hershel as he outsmarts mischievous goblins to save a village’s Hanukkah celebrations.

Card 1 of 2

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