Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon

 

Title: Oskar and the Eight Blessings 

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Author: Richard Simon and Tanya Simon

Illustrator: Mark Siegel 

Major Awards: No Major Awards 

Age group: Ages 4 to 8 

 

Summary: 

This book is about Oskar, a little boy who is sent to New York by his parents in order to flee from the horrors of Nazi Europe. He is sent only with a picture of an aunt that he has never met. While finding the way to his aunt’s house, he experiences many acts of kindness by New York citizens, especially because it is the seventh day of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve.

Evaluation: 

Appropriate grade levels for this book are Pre-K to third grade. I loved the illustrations in this book. I loved the cartoon sort of style that it displayed but also the details in the eyes and the way the illustrator made things reflect from them. I would not use this book as instructional material, even though it does sort of grasp the idea of how people used to leave Europe in order to escape the bad treatment toward Jews. I would only use it for read alouds around Christmas holiday, sort of create a Christmas reading marathon until they are off to Christmas Break.