The Book Trailer Video for
The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin: A Toyshop Tale of Hanukkah

Watch the video below to get a visual summary of the pages in the book.

“Award-winning author Martha Simpson pens a touching and imaginative story about a dreidel that won’t spin and the child who harnesses the true spirit of Hanukkah to fix the problem. Let the games begin!”
—from the website purewow.com, from a review by Emma Singer on her list of “10 Children’s Books About Hanukkah to Celebrate the Festival of Lights”

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“There are some messages that just never get old. And the message in The Dreidel that Wouldn't Spin is twofold: first, that money is not everything; the second, that a true heart can work miracles. . . .

The Dreidel that Wouldn't Spin is a feel-good story that families will be able to share and enjoy year after year. It perfectly encapsulates the message of this minor holiday. The illustrations by Durga Yael Bernhard complement and capture utterly the text throughout, with lots of spot art to keep the child engaged while the story develops.

The end of the book offers a truncated but effective explanation of the origins of the Hanukkah miracle as well as information about dreidels, what the Hebrew letters mean, and how to play the dreidel game. One of the best Hanukkah books to come out in years. Like the magical dreidel in the story, The Dreidel that Wouldn't Spin is a treasure.
—New York Journal of Books, from a review by Lisa Rojany

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“A shopkeeper anticipates a good profit when he purchases an enticing dreidel from an unknown peddler who cautions ‘the miracle of Hanukkah cannot be bought.’ Hence the story unfolds as greed and entitlement contrast with the simple pleasure of viewing alluring goods. Guess what? Inner beauty prevails.”
—Jewish Family Times, chosen as one of their “Best Picks for Hanukkah 2015 ~ 5776”

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“A heartwarming tale of the triumph of generosity over greed and the true spirit of the holiday season, The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin: A Toyshop Tale of Hanukkah has the makings of a children’s classic. This sweet story of a glorious Hanukkah dreidel that spins only for children pure of heart includes charming illustrations sure to capture young children’s interest. . . . Author Martha Seif Simpson’s unembellished tale allows the message of the transformative power of generosity to shine through. . . . Durga Yael Bernhard’s illustrations are a perfect complement to the simplicity of the tale Simpson relates; she includes multiple images per page that are sure to delight young children who enjoy perusing picture books on their own. . . . [This book] should have a place of honor next to the Hanukkah menorah in Jewish homes. But it also should have a treasured spot in the homes of non-Jewish families, as it demonstrates the miracle of the holiday season—indeed, of every time of year: that giving truly is better than receiving.”
—ForeWord Reviews, from a review by Nancy Walker

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“K-Gr 2– In this gentle parable, a peddler gives a splendorous Hanukkah dreidel to the greedy owner of a toy shop with the admonishment that ‘...the miracle of Hanukkah cannot be bought’… Folkloric watercolor illustrations in a pale palette are appropriately soft in tone while images of the toys offering their own expressive impressions of the goings-on inject a bit of humor. A lovely choice for those wishing to circumvent the more commercial aspects of the holiday.”
—School Library Journal, from a review by Teri Markson

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“A child’s innocent appreciation for life’s small wonders transforms a shopkeeper’s business attitude during the busy selling season of Hanukkah. The owner of the small toyshop is immediately intrigued with the potential of a large profit if he can sell a peddler’s oversized, elaborately painted dreidel … [Author Martha] Simpson uses familiar European folk-tale motifs, which [illustrator] Bernhard matches with [gouache] paintings of an Old World setting; both illustrate how humility outshines greed and arrogance. Backmatter [i.e. the Appendix] explains the real miracle of Hanukkah and the holiday’s significance as well as rules for playing dreidel. A sweet original tale with a timeless, though not holiday-specific message (Picture book. 5-7)”
—Kirkus Reviews

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“The colorful drawings by Bernhard (Never Say a Mean Word Again) evoke Judaism’s Eastern European past…”
—Publishers Weekly

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“What an interesting Hanukkah story which stresses the real meaning of the holiday. This is not a story that explains what Hanukkah is but rather what it means by using a dreidel and a simple children’s Hanukkah game. Bright pictures and simple wording make this story easy to read and enjoy, even if you don’t celebrate Hanukkah! Better yet, at the back of the book is an explanation of what Hanukkah celebrates and how to play the dreidel game. This is a story the whole family can enjoy and it leaves plenty of room to discuss why the dreidel wouldn’t spin for all of the children.”
—from a “Top Pick” review on the website nightowlreviews.com

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“This tale about a striking jeweled dreidel that will not spin for selfish, materialistic children, but does so for the one child who appreciates it, is a charming story that could grow into a family favorite. The typeface is large and appealing to a beginning chapter-book reader, and the colorful illustrations convey an Eastern European sense of time and place — including peddlers and storekeepers (all wearing kippot or hats) and horse-drawn carriages with small-town appeal . . . The shopkeeper comes to realize that the miracle of Chanukah cannot be bought as the tale provides a noteworthy conclusion: Wonders still happen for those who can appreciate them.”
—from a review in the Jewish Journal

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“The Dreidel That Wouldn't Spin: A Toyshop Tale of Hanukkah receives fine drawings by Durga Yael Bernhard as it tells of two children who insist they have to own a dreidel that won't spin for them. But will it spin for one who holds the real spirit of Hannukah? It's a lovely seasonal Hannukah tale for ages 5 and older who have good reading skills or parental read-aloud assistance — the latter being the better choice for fully exploring the story's underlying message
—Children’s Bookwatch (Midwest Book Review)

• You can learn a lot more about The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin on illustrator D. Yael Bernhard’s blog, at http://dyaelbernhard.com/bookblog/toys-teach/.
  
  Readers will be happy to learn that Yael maintains her own online blog in which she includes additional information about her various projects. Her page on this book is titled “Toys That Teach,” a very appropriate title to refer to dreidels in general, but also to Martha Seif Simpson’s story. Visiting D. Yael Bernhard’s blog always gives readers a look behind the scenes into an artist/author’s thoughts and creative process.
  
  Yael’s blog page on Dreidel explores multiple dimensions of the book. For example, she shares some of her insights into the moral aspects of the tale; then she goes into a discussion of the setting of the story in which she chose to situate the characters; finally, Yael reveals some fascinating details about how she, as an illustrator, chose to portray the character of the poor boy who appears at the end of the story.

A sample of a page written by Martha Seif Simpson and illustrated by Durga Yael
Bernhard for the book The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin: A Toyshop Tale of Hanukkah