Simon and the Bear is the story of a young Russian boy who decides to travel to America circa the early 19th century. He got the last ticket on the H.M.S. Atlantic, which hit an iceberg along the way, and sank, leaving poor Simon to fend for himself. It is reminiscent of the tragedy of the RMS Titanic, and the ocean liner is seeminly named for another White Star Line transatlantic ship that sank in 1873, the RMS Atlantic.
Although Simon was unable to secure a position in a life boat (giving it up for an older man who turns out to be the mayor of New York), he was able to land on a nearby iceberg. In what Simon is sure to be his last night on Earth, he remembers that it is the first night of Hanukkah and his mother had packed a menorah, a box of candles, matches, a dreidel, and latkes for him. Using what his mother gave him, Simon celebrates Hanukkah alone, except he's not alone. Simon is cared for by the least likely of creatures, a polar bear.
Simon and the Bear is, in a way, a retelling of the first Hanukkah miracle experienced by the Maccabees, and each night that he lights a candle, Simon becomes aware of another miracle he has experienced in his own life. Eric A. Kimmel, known for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, and the Chanukkah Guest and Gerson's Monster, has again written a masterpiece that will delight those who celebrate Hanukkah and enlighten those who don't.
Illustrator for When the Chickens Went on Strike, Noah's Mittens, and A Picture for Marc, Matthew Trueman captures the cold beauty of the North Atlantic Ocean and the spirit of Hanukkah in his amazing paintings. Simon and the Bear includes an author's note at the end that provides the details of the Hanukkah miracle for those who do not know it. Kimmel's newest edition to his Hanukkah books is one of the most sincere and entertaining holiday children's books I have ever read!