This is a perfectly nice Hanukkah picture book that does what it sets out to do: teach a gentle lesson about reaching out to lonely neighbors while explaining latkes and menorahs. The 4.8 Amazon rating suggests parents appreciate it, and it's a solid classroom or library pick during December.

That said, it's also kind of... sleepy. Published in 1997, it has that earnest, straightforward quality of late-90s picture books that modern kids might find a little slow. There's not much humor, no real plot twist, and the 'stubborn' Mrs. Greenberg isn't stubborn enough to be interesting. It's the literary equivalent of a warm potato latke: comforting, wholesome, but not exactly thrilling.

If you're looking for a Hanukkah book for young kids and want something safe and sweet, this works. But if you want something with more spark or staying power, keep browsing.