Nickelodeon’s Iconic ‘Rugrats’ Chanukah Special Lives On In New Picture Book From Artist Kim Smith

Nickelodeon’s Iconic ‘Rugrats’ Chanukah Special Lives On In New Picture Book From Artist Kim Smith

For the last quarter of a century, the Chanukah-themed episode of Rugrats has enjoyed a special place in the hearts and minds of those children who grew up watching the classic Nickelodeon cartoon. Produced in a time when Judaism wasn't often depicted in kid-friendly programming, the holiday special — which first aired in early December of 1996 — represented a watershed moment in television history. Not only does the episode provide a kid-friendly approach to the Jewish "Festival of Lights" and its wider cultural significance, it also features surprisingly mature elements (i. e. Grandpa Boris's decades-long rivalry with Shlomo is poignantly reframed by the end). So, it's no wonder why Quirk Books decided to give the iconic episode new life in picture book form. The latest addition to the publisher's Pop Classics line of books, A Rugrats Chanukah: The Classic Illustrated Storybook was drawn by New York Times best-selling illustrator, Kim Smith. "As a kid who grew up in the '90s, I used to watch Rugrats a lot," Smith tells Forbes Entertainment via email. "For one reason or another, that episode really stuck with me for the long haul, so it was wonderful to be able to revisit it. It