The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming : A Christmas Story

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story is a wonderful holiday tale in Lemony Snicket's true inimitable style. Regardless of the extremely short length of this book -- I believe it took about five minutes total to read -- the narrative explores a number of real-world issues, including a crash course in Hanukkah, the frustration one can feel at not being understood in the world, and how a multiplicity of traditions can peacefully coexist. The cover is a gorgeous, tactile dream, and the inner art is beautifully spare and simple, perfectly complimenting the nudge-and-wink storyline; I was especially captivated by the squirrel that popped up at various intervals and almost seemed to be there to break the fourth wall; I show more could have sworn s/he was waving at the reader. Most of all, I loved the juxtapositional irony inherent in the title itself, and how that played out throughout the narrative; when the pine tree started to discuss Pagan traditions, I laughed out loud.

As far as I'm concerned, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming is a book that should be added to any seasonal bookshelf, regardless of creed or culture. It was a joy to read, and now I know a little more about Hanukkah, and I think I learned a new word or two too. show less

I am personally a little creeped out by anthropomorphizing food things, which talk in the first person about being cooked and being delicious. But setting that aside, I found this little book charming and very funny, and interpretable on multiple levels. My 5yo loved the "AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH" that kept repeating. My partner and I snickered over the commentaries on Christmas. "Let me tell you a funny story..." about pagans and Christmas. Heh.

We will read again.

I am personally a little creeped out by anthropomorphizing food things, which talk in the first person about being cooked and being delicious. But setting that aside, I found this little book charming and very funny, and interpretable on multiple levels. My 5yo loved the "AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH" that kept repeating. My partner and I snickered over the commentaries on Christmas. "Let me tell you a funny story..." about pagans and Christmas. Heh. [return][return]We will read again.

This is the story of a Latke, which is a traditional potato pancake, who is not only upset about being born boiled in oil, but is frustrated that characters keep talking about Christmas when he is used in the Hanukah celebration. He vents his frustration by running everywhere screaming.

This story manages to be both a Christmas and Hanukah story and reflects a bit about how these holidays differ while educating the reader about the celebration of Hanukah. Although some of the language in this book is for a bit more advanced readers, the definitions are often explained in the text making it a good read for all ages. Told with humour, sarcasm and panache, this story transcends its simple illustrations and the frustration of the latke makes show more perfect sense for someone who doesn’t celebrate the same holidays as most of his neighbours. This is an interesting tale of cultural differences, and the silencing of a frustrated latke. show less

Loved it, will be bringing it to read next Hanukah to compete with the storybook my father-in-law insists on performing every year. Typical Snicket, down to “a word which here means” and wry twists combined with a touch of bittersweet musing about keeping identity in a world where the majority keeps trying to assimilate you. Not that Snicket sneers at that, either; as a pine tree says to the titular latke, “Let me tell you a funny story about pagan rituals ….”

This was a funny and cute book. It was about a latke (potato pancake) who jumped out of a frying pan of hot oil and went screaming out of the house. On its travels outside, it encountered several things Christmas-related. That left the latke confused and alone. That is...until a Jewish woodcutter found the latke and brought it home. There it had even more to scream about because it was eaten!

I liked this book for several reasons. One is that I often find myself as a Jew in the Christmas holiday season conundrum in which I can never seem to get away from those things not of my own religion. I found comfort in the fact that the latke made it into a home where he belonged and felt comfortable. I liked that this book had a message that it's show more okay to be different. I also thought this book would be really fun to read to someone very young...especially the pages on which the latke could not stop screaming! show less

This made me laugh out loud - it fits my dark humor perfectly. There are a couple of snarky moments (but in a funny Lemony Snicket-way) that are payback for every time someone Jewish has heard Hanukkah described as "the Jewish Christmas." For non-Jews, a super-quick introduction of how Hanukkah came to be. The fleeing latke, screaming "AAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" page after page had me chuckling for a very, very long time (actually, I'm still doing it!)!