Review of Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon

Authors

Shaune Young, Cedarville UniversityFollow

Publisher

Roaring Book Press

City

New York, New York, United States of America

Date of Publication

2015

ISBN

9781596439498

Date of Review

2016

Disciplines

Library and Information Science | Modern Literature

Keywords

Children's literature, review, hannakuh

Review

Richard and Tanya Simon’s book Oskar and the Eight Blessings is heart-warming story during a time of tragedy and loss. After Kristallnacht, Oskar, a young child, must leave his family in Europe to come live with his aunt in New York. He travels to America all by himself, and when he arrives he must find her house. On his way to his aunt, who he must reach before sundown to light the candles on the menorah, he encounters various kind souls. Each stranger gives him a blessing, something his father had told him to look out for. He meets many famous people such as Count Basie and Eleanor Roosevelt. He finally makes it to his aunt at the end of the story, and they embrace. This story is one of the few hopeful stories about the sad history of the Jews in World War II. The characters at the heart of the story make an impact on the reader. The illustrations that accompany it capture the story so beautifully one could even feel the snow wisping through the air. I would recommend this book for all ages.

Highly Recommended. Shaune Young, Centennial Library Intern, Cedarville University

Recommended Citation

Young, Shaune, "Review of Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon" (2016). Library Intern Book Reviews. 156.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/intern_book_reviews/156

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