Latke, the Lucky Dog

by Ellen Fischer, Tiphanie Beeke (Illustrations)

Rescued from an animal shelter on the first night of Hanukkah, fuzzy Latke the puppy joins the family just in time for the celebrations. Although he has trouble learning the house rules and gets into all sorts of hijinks, he is one Lucky Dog! Told from the pups point of view, this sweet Hanukkah story for little ones is a great addition to Kar-Bens Hanukkah collection.

Genres: Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Jewish, Dogs, Fiction, Family

24 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2014

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Zoe, Zach and their parents adopt a dog from the shelter on the first day of Hanukkah, they name him Latke and bring him home. Unused to life in a house, Latke makes a number of mistakes, from eating treats not meant for him to chewing on wrapped holiday gifts. Fortunately, his new family is patient and understanding...

I picked up Latke, the Lucky Dog with some anticipation, hoping for a sweet holiday tale about an animal finding a home, and that is just what I got. That said, the text sometimes felt a little clunky to me, and the first-person narration from Latke's perspective was often a little forced. The artwork is colorful and cute, although the human faces (particularly the eyes) were somewhat off-putting to me. This is my first book from author Ellen Fischer, but I have encountered and enjoyed illustrator Tiphanie Beeke's work before, in Julia Rawlinson's picture-books about Fletcher the Fox, so I was surprised to find that the visuals didn't strike more of a chord with me. Perhaps Beeke is simply better at depicting animals than humans. There's nothing really wrong here, and I would still recommend this one to those seeking picture-book set at Hanukkah (rather than about Hanukkah itself), but somehow I expected to enjoy it more than I did.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute Hanukkah story about a stray getting used to his new family. There are slips along the way for him, but it's endearing at every turn.

[Evan Deutsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding read I would recommend to Jews and Gentiles alike. This story masterfully combines the story of Hannukkah and the adoption of a somewhat hyperactive cur named Latke. At first you think the family will take Latke back to the shelter because of his destructive behavior, but miracle of miracle, just like the miracle of Hannukkah, they don't. I would not at all be surprised if they turned this book into a movie. Oh, and if you're busy, this book is perfect for you. I started it at 8:03 and finished it at 8:10. And I'm a slow reader.

[Readersaurus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This super cute picture book is about Latke, a shelter dog adopted around Hanukkah time. Although the story takes place during the festival of lights, it can be read any time; it's really about an unsocialized dog who so very much wants to be part of a family but doesn't know the rules and expectations of being a house dog. The illustrations are adorable and the feelings get surprisingly deep in these scant few pages. Of course, the family gives him many loving chances and he eventually catches on to how he should behave. Lovely.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Latke the dog needs all 8 days of Hanukkah to figure out the rules of his new home. His family finally gets the perfect present for him to help him be the perfect present for the family. Good thing he is a cute pup!

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zach and Zoe are going to get a new dog from the shelter. One little pup at the shelter wants to make sure they pick him. He danced around and waggled his tail. And sure enough he was picked. The family named him Latke because he was toasty brown. The family was celebrating the first day of Hanukkah. Latke doesn't know the rules of the house. Each day he chewed on something. Zach and Zoe think he may have ruined Hanukkah. When Latke thought he might be on his way back to the shelter, Zach and Zoe present him with something very special.

Author Ellen Fischer shares a heartfelt story of pet adoption young readers will love. The backdrop of the story shows the family celebrating Hanukkah. Colorful illustrations bring to life the scenes and engage readers. Simple sentence structure make for a fun beginner read while children learn about Jewish culture. Parents and teachers can use this tool to open up dialogue about pet adoption and Jewish holidays.

[Mallory Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Latke is a puppy rescued by a family on the first night of Hanukkah. He has a lot of trouble learning the household rules and often finds himself in trouble. Although he messes things up around the house quite a bit, his new family is still able to forgive him. Latke thinks of himself as a very lucky dog, knowing that his family could give him up at any time for making so many mistakes.
This is a great book for exploring cultural diversity. This book is not complex, but reveals the many characteristics of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated. This is also a great book to use in a family setting because of the closeness this family has within.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family adopts a dog just in time to celebrate Hanukkah. They name him Latke and he has a little trouble learning the rules and disrupts the celebration of the holiday at his house, mostly by indulging in seasonal food.

Told from the dog's perspective, this is a nice overview of the holidays symbols and festivities. A little long for a read aloud, but nice voice and realistic dialogue. PreK-2.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a few Hanukkah books to add to our school collection. We have 2 Hanukkah-themed picture books but they are 30+ years old and not attractive to little readers in the slightest. This book introduces some Hanukkah traditions from the point of view of a newly adopted dog, and has a cute little lesson about learning and trying your best. The back page has a very short description about what Hanukkah is.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a great exercise in empathy -- getting kids to think about how their pets might be feeling, thinking, and acting when they do something "naughty." It's a sweet, funny book while still being honest about all the conflicting emotions kids have when a new family member joins (and sometimes disrupts) their lives.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dog recently rescued from an animal shelter makes a mess of Hanukkah in a series of mishaps.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Latke the puppy causes some Hanukkah shenanigans for his new adoptive family. Cute and sweet.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

O was so excited to open this book and read it again. It's a cute light story.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute.

[Taylor Kundel-Gower · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so sweet! Poor Latke can't figure out how to be good and stop causing trouble during Hanukkah. Luckily, his family loves him unconditionally.

[Hayden]

This book was a cute story about Hanukkah, and a dog celebrating it with a new family.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom got our family this book for a Hanukkah and we really enjoyed it. So much fun and very cute.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who thought I wouldn't be interested in a Chanukah book after Chanukah ended was very wrong.

[Bethany Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a great Hanukkah story. I’m not Jewish but the cover of the book drew me in, and it was a great story about Latke the lucky dog.

[Danna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute book about a new puppy for Hanukkah and all the trouble new puppies can get into. Latke is a lucky dog!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Read this to 6th grade humanities classes today and will share it with my self-contained SpEd class tomorrow. Perfect since Hanukkah starts this weekend
Latke is rescued from the shelter by Zach, Zoe and their parents on the first night of Hanukkah - he is a lucky dog! Unfortunately, each successive night of Hanukkah, Latke makes a mistake as he settles into his new home, ruining the family's holiday traditions. He is worried that he will get sent back to the shelter and does his best to figure out the rules.
A lovely intro to Hanukkah traditions for those who don't know them, especially since at the end of the story there is a brief description of what Hanukkah is/what it means/how it started. Illustrations are a little simplistic but still adorable and do not detract from story. Ending was just a bit abrupt but still fine.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me so emotional for some reason. Sweet little Latke has a hard time settling ("behaving") in to his new home. Through the 8 nights of Chanukah/Hanukkah we see him causing a few upsets. Luckily, his family is patient and forgiving & Latke learns how to be a good boy in his new home.
All dogs/pets need time to adjust to a new life and home & seeing Latke struggle made me so sad. Of course, I loved the the fact that his family got him from a shelter, the simple but sweet art, and Latke's happy ending. Overall, 4 stars. <3

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, which combined the themes of dog rescue/ parenting with Hanukkah! The new dog makes mistakes all week during Hanukkah, and fears being returned to the shelter. The children understand that the errors are not malicious, so the dog behaves better. It includes a good subtle lesson to adult readers, plus more information in the back about the celebration of Hanukkah.

[Madi Harbuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story about a shelter dog who gets adopted on the first night of Hanukkah. Latke learns how to be a good boy even though there are so many fun and interesting sights, smells, and tastes.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea of the book more than the actual book, but it is cute.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would kill for Latke if he asked me to

[Effie]

very fun Hanukkah book told through the POV of Latke, the lucky dog :)

[Kylie Parker]

Learning about holidays in the world!

[Jenni Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute children's story

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO CUTE!