Hi Everyone!
Welcome to Perfect Picture Book Friday!
It’s going to be the last PPBF for 2021, as the Holiday Contest (guidelines on that link if you’re interested in entering – lots of fantastic prizes!) opens next week and is going to keep us busy for the usable rest of December! Anyone who isn’t running a Holiday Contest and continues to post Perfect Picture Books for the next couple weeks is welcome to add their titles to today’s form or to the one I post in the first week of January! 😊
I love the book I’m sharing today for many reasons, not least of which is that I happen to have a newly adopted shelter puppy who is learning how to behave (although his challenge will be the Christmas tree, not the dreidel, menorah, and latkes 😊!)
Title: Latke, The Lucky Dog
Written By: Ellen Fischer
Illustrated By: Tiphanie Beeke
Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing, August 2014, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 2-8
Themes/Topics: Holidays (Hanukkah), animal rescue, pets, family
Opening: “I am one lucky dog. Imagine a mutt like me, picked as a Hanukkah present. It happened one day in December when a family walked into the shelter. A mom, a dad, and two kids – Zoe and Zach.”
Brief Synopsis: (from Horn Book Magazine starred review) “On the first night of Hanukkah, a family adopts a little golden-brown dog and names it Latke. As the family celebrates the Festival of Lights, Latke joins in, thinking, ‘I am one lucky dog!’ But he has a lot to learn about how to behave.”
Links To Resources: a page at the end of the story details the history and customs of Hanukkah; 8 Great Hanukkah Activities for Preschool; 35+ Hanukkah Activities For Kids
Why I Like This Book: This book gives a nice glimpse of a loving family and the traditions of Hanukkah from the point of view of a newly adopted shelter dog. Latke, the dog, has a lot to learn about how to behave. He helps himself to the sufganiyot (Hebrew for donuts), unwraps the gifts on the floor, chews the dreidel, knocks the applesauce off the table, chews the menorah candles, and slobbers all over the gelt (gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins), but luckily his new family is very understanding and they give him a Hanukkah gift of his own – a chew toy 😊 The story is warm, and the art a perfect accompaniment sensitively showing the dog as he tries to learn to do what is right. I love that not only does the reader get a sense of what Hanukkah is like, but is also shown that although a new animal family member might not behave perfectly at first, it is important to give everyone time to adjust and learn. A lovely story for all young readers/listeners!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Susanna, Latke is indeed a lucky dog. Seems like areally sweet story. Good luck with your competition! And I hope you get time to relax and enjoy your family over the holiday.
Who can resist such a cute pup? And what a great name for a golden Hanukkah puppy. Have fun with the Holiday story contest! Can’t wait to read the creative entries.
I love animal rescue stories & this sounds like a lovely one showing the Hanukkah traditions.
What a beautiful story of family and Hanukkah traditions. Don’t know how I missed this story. Perfect gift book. Thank you for sharing!
We’re missing our favorite Hanukkah party again this year. Sob. I may have to make our own latkes… This looks so sweet. Those wee ones always need a little training, don’t they? Our first holiday season with Wrigley, we gave her a little chew toy anytime we wanted a little peace and quiet, LOL.
This is such a sweet story. I love that it combines adopting a pup and loving his needs with the family holiday traditions.
Such a sweet story, Susanna! It touches on so many layers.
I’m not sure what the “switch account” *required* is all about. I haven’t sent in a picture book to this. ???
Elizabeth Westra elizabethwestra@gmail.com
On Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 3:00 AM Susanna Leonard Hill wrote:
> Susanna Leonard Hill posted: ” Hi Everyone! Welcome to Perfect Picture > Book Friday! It’s going to be the last PPBF for 2021, as the Holiday > Contest (guidelines on that link if you’re interested in entering – lots of > fantastic prizes!) opens next week and is going to keep us busy” >
What?
This book looks so warm and delightful. Thanks for sharing it!
What a wonderful way to share different traditions.