The Trees of the Dancing Goats (Aladdin Picture Books)

"The Trees of the Dancing Goats" is another great heartwarming and wholesome Children's book from the pen of Patricia Polacco. This hardback book measures 8 3/4 inches by 11 1/4 inches and has 30 pages. Several of the pages have a full page, full color illustration. Almost all the other pages also have full color illustrations ranging from about 5/6th of a page to 3/4 of a page; these include the text. Book also has an inviting full color dust jacket with matching pictorial cover.This book is a great wholesome family Children's picture book incorporating the wonderful traditions of Hanukkah with Christmas. The book is especially appropriate this year because of the war in the Ukraine. Trisha's grandma came from the Ukraine and her grandfather came from Georgia. Trisha's family was anxiously preparing for the eight day celebration of Hanukkah. Her grandfather was carving and painting wooden toys for gifts during the eight days of Hanukkah. Trisha's family were farmers and so were many of her Christian neighbors. The Christian neighbors always helped their Jewish neighbors during the time of harvest and vice versa. One Hanukkah and Christmas Trisha's Christian neighbors experienced a Scarlet Fever epidemic and were unable to decorate and celebrate their Christmas because they were very ill. Trisha's family get a wonderful idea of how to help their neighbors celebrate their Christmas Holiday. Trisha's family make sacrifices to make their neighbors' Christmas celebrations extra special. You will want to read this fast read for a wonderful Christmas and Hanukkah friendship miracle. This book would be an ideal read aloud in the classroom or at home during the Christmas and/or Hanukkah Season. The book can be read in 20 minutes or so.

I love the truth that love and compassion are more important than anything. This book shows the binding together of a community in the hardest of times even though there were differences in belief. We all need this story.

Patricia Polacco is my favorite author. Her books are wonderful.

This is a very sweet story of... holidays, I guess, and neighborliness, presumably based upon an event in the author's life.She and her family were preparing for Hanukkah when they realized that all their neighbors were sick with scarlet fever... and the kids were basically going to have no Christmas at all because they and their families were too sick to celebrate. Nobody wants to think of their friends as giving up their holiday, so Patricia's family, who was luckily all well, prepared small Christmas trees for their neighbors and decorated them with the wooden toys they'd made for their own Hanukkah.This is exactly the example of charity that's right for kids to learn about. You do something nice for people because it's the right thing to do, and you do it gladly. You don't bemoan giving up your things, and you don't expect a reward (although they get one in the form of their neighbors continuing to be good friends.)A good message for any time of year, whatever your beliefs.

A kind story of tolerance and empathy. A Jewish family creates a Christmas for their Christians neighbors who are quarantine because of a flu epidemic. The drawings are wonderful and exude joy. This story plants the seeds of kindness without a lecture.

Patricia Polacco can always be counted on for a touching story with wonderful illustrations. Families helping friends and neighbors through sickness and tough times at Christmas. Especially appropriate for Covid times, it is a story of hope and giving. A story for all ages.

Used the book to read to a class of 2nd and 3rd graders via Zoom class and it was wonderful. Timely and great story about celebrating different holidays.

This book is really only for those who celebrate Hanukah or are familiar with it or want to read a story including that holiday. I own a few of this author's books with my favorite being G is for Goat BUT I just could not get into this book. For some reason, I did not like the wording nor the artwork - though I usually love her artwork and I think the overall story is very good. IN the end, this book was just a miss for our family, but I am sure others will connect to this book far better than we do. I would suggest reading it at your library before buying.

This tale of a Jewish family that saves Christmas for their neighbours is sweet and very touching. It would be great to use in any kind of context where you wanted to talk about mutual respect between religions but is also just a lovely book in its own right.

Lovely book! Nice way to teach children kindness to our neighbours, even if they are different from us, without being preachy about it. I love Patricia Polacco's books!

Very great story