Sammy Spider's First Taste of Hanukkah: A Cookbook - Tapa blanda

"The team behind the Sammy Spider books is back, having created a Hanukkah cookbook. Like most cookbooks, it is divided into sections based on different types of food: Simple Snacks, Miracle Meals, Tasty Treats and a section titled Crafty Ideas. The recipes are simple, as are most of the ingredients, and the book is meant for adults and children to read and enjoy making the recipes together. Children need a lot of supervision in the kitchen and the directions make it clear to children that they will need adult help.

Katherine Janus Kahn's illustrations are as bright and vibrant as ever.

The food is Hanukkah-themed and the team worked hard to fit all the recipe titles into the theme, as well.

Additional material in the back of the book teaches about Hanukkah and lighting the menorah. There is also an introductory section for adults to read to children which sets up the Sammy theme and introduces the recipes. This book would be a great resource for parents who have children home on 'winter break' and has educational components, as well; it would be especially useful for number and counting activities. Families and classes will enjoy 'digging into' this book." -- Jewish Book Council

"Making his 15th appearance, 'Sammy Spider dangled from his web as Mr. Shapiro told Josh the story of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil.' While spiders don't celebrate the holiday, Sammy could certainly watch as all the cooking began! In this latest installation of the anthropomorphic arachnid, we get a helpful intro, and recipes divided into sections of Simple Snacks, Miracle Meals (LOVE the Maccabee and Cheese), Tasty Treats (check out Melt-in-Your-Mouth Menorahs), Crafty Ideas (salt dough Hanukkah decorations are a personal fave) plus a section on Lighting the Menorah and Hanukkah Blessings. This is a terrific hands-on book for families this holiday season and definitely one to hang onto for years to come." -- Good Reads with Ronna

"Sammy is now in his second decade as an unlikely but winsome Jewish educator, and since the series kicked off in 1993 with a Hanukkah title, a holiday-themed cookbook is long overdue. Turndorf, who teaches cooking to children, has developed 17 easy recipes that kids can whip up with adult supervision, including snacks ('Maccabee Munch'), main courses ('Count to Eight Shishkebab'), and sweets ('Melt in Your Mouth Menorahs'); Sammy helpfully adds a spider web emblazoned with M, D, or P (for meat, dairy, and pareve) to each recipe for families who keep kosher. Kahn's bright, impressionistic watercolor collages feel as fresh and expressive as ever - in fact, they're particularly well suited to the pursuit of cooking and collective noshing." -- Publisher's Weekly