Mensch on a Bench — Anne Katz

This sweet, engaging story is about a little boy who learns how to be a mensch (a good person)--just in time for Hanukkah. The beautifully illustrated book is packaged with a "mensch on the mantle" doll who can keep an eye on boys and girls in the weeks leading up to Hanukkah--to make sure they're behaving in a mensch-like way.

Little Maccabee finds himself in a series of challenging (yet common) situations--at school, in the playground, with his friends and family. As he struggles to figure out what to do, he is guided by a friendly old man who appears out of nowhere, and imparts timeless wisdom. The lessons Maccabee learns--to give without expecting anything in return; to be kind to his enemies; to be true to himself--are all drawn from Jewish teachings on how to be a good person. Ultimately, the lesson Maccabee learns is that what's most important of all is not how he behaves while the friendly mensch is watching, but how he acts when nobody is watching at all. The adorable mensch doll that comes with the book can be moved around the house as a reminder for children to behave in a mensch-like way--not only leading up to Hanukkah, but every day of the year.