Jodie's Hanukkah Dig

“A wonderful combination of great story and unique perspective, this tale of young Jodie’s visit with her father to an archaeological dig in Modi’in, where Judah Maccabee fought the Syrians, helps children place the Chanukah story in context by linking the historical with the modern.”—Noodlenuts

An Israeli girl wants to become an archaeologist like her father and has the opportunity to assist at a dig where Judah Maccabee fought against the Syrians. Braving darkness, spiders, and her own fear, Jodie volunteers to be lowered into a small underground cave where she discovers a literal piece of the past. However, aside from a brief reference to the brave leader featured in the Hanukkah story, there is nothing in this book to suggest that it belongs on the holiday shelf. It presupposes knowledge of Israel’s archaeological significance and the origins of Hanukkah by focusing solely on the facts of the dig. Watercolor illustrations give a good sense of the Israeli land-scape both above and below ground. A reasonable choice for career day, but not for general holiday collections.