Candlelight for Rebecca (American Girl Collection)

Rebecca's teacher assigns the class to make Christmas decorations--but Rebecca's family is Jewish and doesn't celebrate Christmas. Her teacher tells her that Christmas is a national holiday, for all Americans to celebrate. Although her parents came from Russia, Rebecca knows she's as American as anyone else, even without celebrating Christmas. Could her teacher be wrong? If Rebecca does the project, her family is sure to be upset; if she doesn't, her teacher will be displeased. Then, on the first night of Hanukkah, Rebecca finds kindness in an unexpected place--and learns the real meaning of the holiday season.

Really liked this one! Candlelight continues the themes around assimilation and being American from [b:Rebecca and Ana|6098130|Rebecca and Ana (American Girls Rebecca, #2)|Jacqueline Dembar Greene|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388816517l/6098130._SX50_.jpg|6275264], where Miss Maloney has the class make Christmas centerpieces as a fun and festive classroom activity... even though several students don't actually celebrate the Christian holiday. Meanwhile, downstairs neighbor Mr. Rossi is sick and needs Rebecca's help in feeding his pigeons and finding his cat.

Conversations also go over how Hanukkah isn't necessarily a MAJOR holiday in the Jewish calendar, but due to seasonal proximity to show more Christmas and capitalism, it's become a larger deal in the United States, and the importance of family.

edit: just remembered- early on at school, the book describes Miss Maloney running the students through exercise, partially to warm them up but also general stretches and health- it reminds me of Samantha doing the same in her books set a decade earlier! show less

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