Harvest of Light, by Allison Ofanansky, photos by Eliyahu Alpern, (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2008,) merges two of my favorite kinds of nonfiction: how things are made and kids' lives in different parts of the world. It also ties into the celebration of Hanukkah, which begins tonight.
The narrator's family has an olive grove in Israel. In the fall, they harvest the green olives. Because they are bitter, they soak for months in salt water, (which is what makes them such a taste sensation.)
These same olives then darken. As you know, black olives are eaten, too. But some are pressed into oil. The family dips bread into the olive oil and also pours it into their Hanukkah menorah.
This is a fascinating book and provides a unique way to learn about a Hanukkah tradition.
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