The Trees of the Dancing Goats

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday, commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. The entire festival is like a rollercoaster ride of endless fun, enjoyment and gala time. Everybody is in a festive mood and people get together to enjoy the festival in its true spirit. Houses are decorated, lanes are lined with colorful decorative lights and religious ceremonies are held. Reading books is also a great way to get into the true spirit of the season. One of the Hanukkah books that are particularly very popular among the young kids is 'The Trees of the Dancing Goats'. Let us explore the book in detail.

'The Trees of the Dancing Goats', written by Patricia Polacco, is a popular Hanukah book. Its story revolves around Trisha's family, who make arrangements for the celebration of the eight-day festivity of lights, Hanukkah. They prepare yummy potato latkes and carve fabulous animals out of wood. Amidst all this, Trisha visits her closest neighbors, expecting them to be busy preparing for Christmas. However, she finds that scarlet fever has victimized them and the entire family has become bedridden. Hence, they will not be able to prepare and celebrate the festival.

Seeing this, Trisha's family feels bad, thinking that their neighbors won't be able to enjoy their holiday. Being kind-hearted, they get extremely moved by the plight of their neighbors and decide to help them. They immediately spring to action and work the entire night, preparing foods, making candles and even decorating small trees with lovely decors and ornies. After doing all this, they secretly deliver them to their neighbors, so that the latter are also able to celebrate their holiday. The story exhibits a perfect example of true friendship and the spirit of enjoying together.

Reading 'The Trees of the Dancing Goats' to kids is a great way to inculcate certain important values in them, which will be beneficial for them in the long run. It can also be a great way to incorporate some craft skills in them. This is because, in the book, it has been explained how Trisha and her family members make dancing goat decorations. You can ask your kids or younger siblings to craft such dancing goats for family members and friends as a holiday gift. You can also join them in the process and have a fun family get-together, spending some quality time together.