The giant spirit Nate Gadol is larger than life in every sense of the word; his last name even means big! His name is also a playful take on the phrase associated with the Hanukkah spinning top, or dreidel. Nate Gadol's mission is to "make things last as long as they needed to," including making "a tiny bit of oil last eight days and nights," one of the holiday's main miracles. Levine's story brings together the late-nineteenth-century American Jewish experience, in the form of Nate Gadol helping the immigrant Glaser family, and the origin of Hanukkah presents, which are largely borrowed from Christmas; in this telling, they're literally borrowed from Santa Claus. Some readers may object to the presence of Santa Claus in a Jewish book, and the promise that "Nate Gadol is never far away if a family is . . . short of a magical holiday" rings a bit hollow in today's world. Nevertheless, many readers will be charmed by the book's mythological feeling, which is enhanced by Hawkes' painterly illustrations.

Hanukkah isn-t Jewish Christmas, so why do some American Jewish kids get presents for the holiday? Levine answers by creating a new mythic character, -great big spirit- Nate Gadol, whose name recalls the first half of the sentence symbolized by the letters on the dreidel: nes gadol hayah sham (-a great miracle happened there-). Drawn by Hawkes as radiantly dashing in a Revolutionary War-era waistcoat, Nate has a special talent: as an answer to prayer, -He made things last as long as they needed to.- He created the miracle of the oil lasting for eight nights in ancient times, and he-s suited to -making butter stretch for an important cake or keeping a dam strong in a storm.- Nate is also buddies with Santa, so when hard times hit a hard-working immigrant neighborhood in 1881, the two collaborate to ensure that neither holiday is shortchanged. In fact, Nate is able to stretch Santa-s gifts for the Irish O-Malley family so there-s enough chocolate-and presents-for the Jewish Glaser family, too. Some readers will take issue with this nod to consumer culture, but for those who do practice present giving, this visually stunning -supplementary mythology,- as Levine writes in an author-s note, seeks to -enhance our experience without changing the religious observance and meaning of Jewish holidays.- Ages 5-8. (Sept.)

A mysterious gift-giver brings holiday cheer in the form of presents for all.With a nod to the late-19th-century immigration of Jews to America, Levine creates a pourquoi tale for the exchange of gifts on Hanukkah. The larger-than-life titular character floats above and around the action wearing a smartly styled blue overcoat and ornate leather boots with a matching leather satchel. His name is taken from the acronym for the four letters on a dreidel, Nes Gadol Hayah and Sham, which translates to "A Great Miracle Happened There" and is the very essence of the great Nate. "He made things last as long as they needed to." His powers were evident a long time ago, "like that little amount of oil," and continue as he makes a small amount of chocolate become more than enough for Mrs. Glaser and her children, a Jewish family in steerage, bound for America. Nate helps her son help their Irish neighbors, the O'Malleys, during the terrible winter of 1881. He also helps his old friend Santa in a rooftop encounter. Now, both the O'Malleys and the Glasers have piles of presents for their holiday celebrations, a tradition for the former and something new for the latter. Hawkes uses richly textured acrylic paints and eye-popping swirls of gold to create illustrations that are at once grounded and otherworldly. All characters have pale skin, Nate's a tad more olive than the others'.A new, entertaining, and thoughtful addition to the Hanukkah canon. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Levine's appended note reveals the story's inspiration -- "I have often wished that we could build up a bit more [Hanukkah] mythology" -- and to that end, he invents Nate Gadol, a larger-than-life, Paul Bunyan-esque figure who "in answer to people's prayers...made things last as long as they needed to." We follow Nate's relationship with the Glaser family, eighteenth-century European emigres. As the Glasers struggle to make a new life in America, provide for their children, and assist their neighbors, the O'Malleys, Nate watches over them, and even helps invent the concept of Hanukkah gift-giving (Santa makes a cameo appearance; he and Nate go "way, way back"). Hawkes's painterly acrylic illustrations help deliver a setting both realistic and wondrous. Elissa Gershowitz