I've read this picture book many times over the years to predominantly Gentile elementary students in our school library to help explain the historical events behind the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. The quasi-biblical language used in the text makes this book more effective for older students, from about 4th to 6th grades.Students familiar with the Bible and the Temple in Jerusalem seem to get a bit more out of the narrative, but it's still necessary to stop and explain terms like Sabbath, idols, pigs, and the month of Kislev.
Ori Sherman's bold colorful paintings are obviously not meant to depict a literal representation of the story line, and the students readily accept them as an artistic interpretation.
In our rural, mostly Gentile, environment, this version of the Story of Hanukkah has been a helpful resource.
