For anyone who's ever asked "Why can't we have a Christmas tree?" comes a lighthearted story about being Jewish during the holiday season—by actress Amanda Peet!Rachel Rosenstein is determined to celebrate Christmas this year—and the fact that her family is Jewish is not going to stop her. In a series of hilarious and heartwarming mishaps, Rachel writes a letter to Santa explaining her cause, pays him a visit at the mall, and covertly decorates her house on Christmas Eve (right down to latkes for Santa and his reindeer). And while Rachel may wrestle with her culture, customs, and love of sparkly Christmas ornaments, she also comes away with a brighter understanding of her own identity and of the gift of friends and family.
Inspired by actress Amanda Peet's experience with her own children,
Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein is sure to be a new holiday classic!
"Will help introduce young readers to other cultures while allowing them to preserve the magic of their own."
—Booklist
"Actress Peet and her friend/coauthor Troyer, both newcomers to children’s books, handle Rachel’s obsession and her family’s strong sense of religious identity with equal empathy and humor."
—Publishers Weekly
"There’s lots of humor in the text and in the lively, scribbly, colorful illustrations. But the authors wisely don’t gloss over Rachel’s feelings—which can be common for
anyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas that time of year, a notion that steers the text toward a happy, multi-culti ending."
—The Horn Book
On sale: October 20, 2015
Age: 3-7 years
Grade: Preschool - 2
Page count: 40 Pages
ISBN: 9780553510614
Reading level: Lexile: AD620L | Fountas/Pinnell: O
AMANDA PEET is an actress, playwright, and the author of
Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein, which she co-wrote with Andrea Troyer. She has appeared in numerous films, including
Please Give,
Syriana,
Igby Goes Down, and
The Whole Nine Yards. Her TV credits include
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and HBO's
Togetherness. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.
ANDREA TROYER is the author of
Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein, which she co-wrote with Amanda Peet. She grew up in Minnesota and received an MFA from the University of California, Irvine. Andrea lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.
CHRISTINE DAVENIER is the illustrator of many children’s books, including Julie Andrews’s
The Very Fairy Princess series and
Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein by Amanda Peet and Andrea Troyer. She lives in Paris.
"Many Jewish kids in America can probably relate to Amanda Peet’s new children’s book."
—Time.com"It's not just for kids: Any grown-ups who remember what it's like being a Jewish kid when everyone else seems to be caroling around Christmas trees and putting out cookies for Santa will love it, too."
—Bustle.com "Packs a lesson in cultural understanding.
—The Chicago Tribune"Will help introduce young readers to other cultures while allowing them to preserve the magic of their own."
—Booklist
"Actress Peet and her friend/coauthor Troyer, both newcomers to children’s books, handle Rachel’s obsession and her family’s strong sense of religious identity with equal empathy and humor."
—Publishers Weekly
"There’s lots of humor in the text and in the lively, scribbly, colorful illustrations. But the authors wisely don’t gloss over Rachel’s feelings—which can be common for
anyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas that time of year, a notion that steers the text toward a happy, multi-culti ending."
—The Horn Book
"Bright watercolors depict Rachel and her family as a loving group, surrounded by commercial trappings of the season."
—School Library Journal
