The Beloved Hershel of Ostropol

Another favorite Holiday Book is "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" by Eric Kimmel with illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman. This book was created after the story was published in serial form in the children's periodical Cricket in 1985. Adding the talent of Trina Schart Hyman to the mix was inspired. She is one of my favorite illustrators. The mark of a good story is how is sounds when you read it out loud--and this one is pure ambrosia. The storyline is simple. The humble Hershel of Ostropol happens upon a village living under the spell of a group of bad goblins. He learns what must be done to break the curse and with courage and his clever wits he proceeds to face down the goblins one by one through the nights of Hanukkah until the final evening and a grand battle with the King of Goblins itself! You'll just have to find a copy to learn how the story ends! Even though it was published in 1989, it had the good fortune of winning a Caldecott Honor prize and has remained in print--which is our good fortune, too!