'The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol' is a mythical take on the Jewish holiday

NPR's Book of the Day

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Books, Arts

4.2 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 26 December 2024

⏱️ 6 minutes

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Summary

Nate Gadol is a spirit with the power to make anything last for as long as it's needed, whether oil, chocolate, or a flower. Gadol's special gift is at the center of The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol, a children's book from author Arthur Levine. Growing up, Levine says, he felt that the Jewish holiday was often eclipsed by the mythology surrounding Christmas, with beloved characters like Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus. With Nate Gadol, Levine aims to introduce a mythological hero that Jewish people could call their own. In today's episode, we revisit a conversation between Levine and NPR's Scott Simon. They discuss the backstory behind Hanukkah presents and the many forms Jewish families take today.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. Happy Hanukkah to all of you out there.
0:07.6	It's funny. If I were writing an intro for a Christmas book, it'd be easy for me to throw in a
0:12.3	reference to a reindeer here or a Santa there, and it automatically becomes Christmasy.
0:18.1	That's a little harder to do with Hanukkah, which is why today's author wanted
0:22.1	to write this book in the first place. It's a kid's book called The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Godol,
0:27.1	illustrated by Kevin Hawks and written by Arthur Levine. It came out back in 2020, and Levine spoke
0:32.2	with NPR Scott Simon about feeling left out, seeing the wide cast of characters available to people who celebrate
0:39.5	Christmas and wanting one for Jewish people.
0:43.1	That's up ahead.
0:44.7	In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
0:49.5	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, Sources and Methods.
0:56.1	NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why
1:00.8	distant events matter here at home. Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever
1:06.5	you get your podcasts. Hanukkah is not some kind of Jewish Christmas.
1:12.7	The holiday, which began this week, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem,
1:17.9	where Jews reclaiming the temple after a revolt onto one-day supply of oil to light its menorah,
1:24.5	and it lasted for eight nights.
1:27.1	Hanukkah is called the Festival of Lights,
1:29.2	which in North America seems to fold its smack
1:31.8	into the lights of the Christmas season.
1:35.0	Arthur Levine and Kevin Hawks have written
1:36.8	and illustrated a new book for children
	...

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