Beam of Light
by Elisa Boxer and illustrated by Sofia Moore
October 15, 2024, Rocky Pond Books
32 pages
The key to a good picture book is managing to write something kids will love, and parents don’t mind reading over and over again. In Beam of Light, by Elisa Boxer and illustrated by Sofia Moore, parents learn about the first white house menorah while children get to enjoy the soft colors and mystery about what will happen to the titular beam.
I don’t know what shocked me more. Learning that there wasn’t a piece of Judaica in the White Houses permanent collection until 2022, or that the White House was collapsing in the 1940’s. Apparently, I wasn’t alone, because Beam of Light was written after the author first heard the story of a beam removed from the collapsing white house being later repurposed into a menorah. The story of collapse and rebirth is classic Judaism. We undergo great tragedy, but the Jewish people always survive, even if it means transforming into something new.
The text is not too long and the pictures are soothing, making Beam of Light an easy read. It’s an educational yet entertaining way to spend a Hanukkah night. Maybe even share the stories of where your own menorahs come from, and personal stories of reinvention while still holding on to tradition.
Note: BookishlyJewish received a copy of this book from the publisher