Death

November 19 – Family Stories Month

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About the Holiday

Familiar stories are part of the glue that keep families together. The months of November and December, when homes can be full of family and friends for the holidays, are perfect for sharing those stories with the youngest members as a way to pass down traditions, funny or poignant memories, and even historical touchstones. Telling these stories can be especially meaningful for children experiencing the loss of a beloved family member and the activities they shared. Today’s book speaks to such loss, recovery, and rediscovering happiness. 

Thank you to Astra Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Bread Days

By Hannah Chung

 

For Nara, Bread Days with her father were special. She would wake up early, greet Papa—who was already in the kitchen—and then say “‘Good morning!'” to Paolo, their sourdough starter, before feeding it with flour and water. “One bubble. Two bubbles. Soon, Paolo filled his jar with bubbles.” Nara and Papa loved spending the whole day together, mixing the dough, shaping it into a round loaf, watching it rise, and scoring the top with a design Nara had drawn. Then they sat together and watched the bread bake in the oven.

Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.

“On Bread Days, the kitchen was warm and cozy,” and Nara’s heart felt light as she and Mama and Papa enjoyed the “crunchy crust and pillowy bites.” She couldn’t wait for the next Bread Day. But one week when that day came around, Mama told her that Papa couldn’t do it. Disappointed, Nara put Paolo in the refrigerator to wait for the next time. She waited and waited, but there were no more Bread Days. “Papa was gone.” Soon, even the way Papa kept the kitchen began to change.  Nara “missed Papa more than ever.”

Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.

One night, while Mama was sleeping, Nara crept into the kitchen, put up all of Papa’s bread-making notes, got out the equipment, and opened the refrigerator to get Paolo. But Paolo didn’t look right. He was sticky, and floating on top was a brown liquid. Nara was crushed. She thought Paolo was gone too, that Bread Days were over. But Mama was up, and she reassured Nara that Paolo would be fine. As Mama worked with Paolo, the bubbles returned. “Paolo was back,” and for Nara it felt like Papa was there with them too.

Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.

Now Nara and Mama held Bread Days, and although the loaves looked different than the ones Nara had made with Papa, they were just as tasty. Bread Days were still the best days!

Following the story, Hannah Chung includes an Author’s Note about her father, who turned hobby baking into a weekly ritual for the whole family, and how she has continued his tradition after he passed away

Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.

In her moving tribute to her own father, Hannah Chung draws a sweet story of the love between a father and daughter. As Nara feeds the sourdough starter and Paolo bubbles, Nara and Papa shape and score the loaf, and they watch the loaf bake together, the bread symbolizes their love and bonding over this weekly tradition. Papa’s passing may seem sudden to young readers and may need explanation by an adult, but such life-changing events can often feel abrupt and confusing to children.

With changes in the kitchen and Paolo’s development of an unfamiliar layer of hooch, Chung touches on Nara’s sadness and fear that this important connection with her father is gone too. But as Nara and her mother recreate Bread Days and Nara feels the spirit of her father there, Chung reassures readers that, as she says, “love endures in memory, rituals hold us steady, and starting anew takes quiet courage.” 

A touching story about loss and resilience, Bread Days offers comfort to any child grieving the loss of a beloved family member and affirms that their memories and continued traditions provide happiness as life continues on. 

Ages 4 – 8

Astra Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1662621017

Hannah Chung is an award-winning designer and entrepreneur in health care design for young patients. She is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and has presented at numerous conferences including TEDx and SXSW. She is the also the author/illustrator of The Most Perfect Persimmon. Hannah spends her time both in Providence, Rhode Island, and Seoul, South Korea. Visit her at hannahchung.com.

Family Stories Month Activity

Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.

Bread Days Activity Kit from Astra Young Readers

 

With this Bread Days Activity Kit from Astra Young Readers, kids can enjoy their own Bread Day! Five activities, including drawing their own bread design, a crossword puzzle, pages for writing about a special day they had and what makes them happy, and a puzzle prompting them to put the steps of bread making in order. You can download it here!

You can purchase Bread Days from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

March 4 – It’s National Reading Month

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About the Holiday

National Reading Month was designed to  encourage children and adults to read every day and celebrates the joys and benefits that reading together can bring. Reading with your child can be fun and frivolous, but it can also offer ways for children to share their feelings about serious or poignant topics and begin discussions that can lead to understanding or healing.  As the month progresses, look for books to share for all the aspects of your life. 

I’d like to thank Kokila Books/Penguin Random House for sharing a digital copy of Our Lake with me to review. 

Our Lake

By Angie Kang

 

A young boy follows his older brother up a “long and steep” hill to the tip of a boulder overlooking a glistening lake, where their father, now gone, used to take them swimming. He mimics his brother, who has taken on the mantel of responsibility, in their old traditions—taking off his shirt, stretching. But while his brother approaches the lip of the rock, he hangs back, watching him “press his arms tight to his head and slip neatly into the lake.” The water ripples, and then his brother shoots upward, “triumphant.”

Illustration and text © 2025 by Angie Kang. Courtesy of Kokila/Penguin Random House.

His brother calls for him to jump, but his nerves overtake him and he closes his eyes. “On the insides of my eyelids,” he says, “I see Father.” He recalls their routine, the way his father soared before splashing down, and the sound of his laugh as he beckoned his sons to follow.

“When I open my eyes, he joy is still there, humming in my limbs,” the boy says. He hears his brother call to him again and shakes off his fear. As he nears the water, he sees his father meet him, arms outstretched. His brother cheers as he splashes in. They embrace, both feeling the presence of the father they miss.

Illustration and text © 2025 by Angie Kang. Courtesy of Kokila/Penguin Random House.

Angie Kang’s lyrical storytelling soars on the openhearted voice of her young narrator and the caring guidance of his big brother. The boys’ uplifting memories of their father and their joyful embrace of returning to one of their favorite places are moving and comforting, and ultimately inspire reassurance that the spirit of loved ones lives on within the heart. 

Kang’s gloriously rich gouache, crayon, and colored pencil illustrations illuminate the close relationship between the brothers and, individually, with their father, as exemplified by a red hat the older brother is wearing as the story begins. Later, readers learn—in a symbolic image—that this hat belonged to the boys’ father. Each boy’s facial expressions and stances also carry the story forward. Kang’s saturated paintings also offer metaphorical undertones that resonate with the truth of life’s sometimes difficult climbs as well as the wonders of shaking off fear and diving into it headfirst.

A beautiful and poignant story to help any child affected by grief or loss to find peace and joy again, Our Lake is highly recommended for families and is a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Kokila/Penguin Random House, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593698235

About the Author/Illustrator

Angie Kang is a Chinese American writer and illustrator living in LA. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Narrative, The Believer, and elsewhere, and has been generously supported by MacDowell and other organizations. Angie graduated from the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BA in Literary Arts from Brown University. She enjoys painting places she remembers and places she would like to go. Learn more about Angie’s writing and art at AngieKang.net and @anqiekanq on Instagram.

You can purchase Our Lake at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

February 6 – Children’s Mental Health Week

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About the Holiday

 

February 3rd-9th marks the United Kingdom’s 11th National Children’s Mental Health week, sponsored by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. While the US has its own Children’s Mental Health Awareness week in May, it’s always good to share resources and support around mental health for children. This February’s theme is Know Yourself Grow Yourself, with an emphasis on building resilience and coping skills through self-understanding. To honor Children’s Mental Health week, adults and kids alike can engage in mood journaling, verbal processing of emotions, and reading books that explore just what to do to get through hard times.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Just What to Do

By Kyle Lukoff | Illustrated by Hala Tahboub

 

When a loved one is experiencing a loss, it can be hard to know how best to help. Just What to Do is a gentle story that walks readers through exactly that—just what to do. The key? Figuring out how each person best likes to be comforted.

The book begins with a narrator confidently clutching a handmade condolence card with a smiling cactus angel featured on the front. “When my brother’s cactus died,” they say, “I knew just what to do.” As the narrator discovers, however, a card is not how the brother would like to receive support. “Could you tell me a joke instead? I really want to laugh.” he says.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

So, naturally, when the protagonist’s cousin’s goldfish dies, they know exactly what to do; at the library they nab a book of jokes in preparation for a visit. But instead, the cousin asks for a hug.

The pattern continues with the narrator learning a new method of supporting a loved one with each instance of grief. And learning that the same technique does not feel good to the next person in need of their comfort.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

When the narrator’s best friend’s grandmother dies, they are unsure what to do. Would she want a card, a snack, a hug? How could they know? Finally, they decide the best way to find out is simply to ask: “Can you tell me what to do? I don’t know how to help.” While the friend is at first unsure how to answer this question, the narrator and friend find ways to seek out comfort and connection by spending time together. The story ends with a wordless spread of them swinging, talking, picking flowers and a spread with the word “together” in which they share a flower crown.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

Just What to Do tackles a tough but topical topic for children, what to do with grief and how to support others through it, something that even adults struggle with. Oftentimes, people make the mistake of thinking there is a cookie cutter “one size fits all” fix for working through grief, but, as Lukoff poignantly shows, this simply is not the case. Readers will learn and grow with the protagonist as they explore new ways of helping and providing care for a diverse cast of family and friends.

Hala Tahboub creates simple sketches featuring an androgynous-appearing elementary-school-aged narrator. Wordless spreads of characters connecting are interspersed in the story and are contrasted with more bare pages focused solely on the narrator when they reach emotionally salient moments. There is a clarity in the images and an intricacy in the facial expressions that allows the audience to focus on the main character’s internal struggles. The words of the story are expanded on in the images, with different characters expressing their grief in unique ways (a babysitter commemorating her dog with dog toys, the cousin holding her goldfish’s tank under a large shady tree with a bouquet of flowers, etc.)

Just What to Do is an essential addition to library and home collections, as well as counseling centers. The book lovingly guides readers through a difficult subject with an appropriate amount of levity and learning to make for a perfect read aloud.

Ages 3 – 7

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-0593462942

About the Author

Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall. He has forthcoming books about mermaids, babies, apologies, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian. Visit him at kylelukoff.com.

About the Illustrator

Hala Tahboub is a children’s book writer and illustrator. She started her creative journey as an architect and interior designer. She won the SCBWI Canada East chapter’s Storyteller Award for Illustration in 2019, and she was the SCBWI’s December Featured Illustrator in 2020. Hala believes in kindness, coffee, chocolate, and in the immense power of stories. She lives in Montreal. Visit her at halatahboub.com.

National Children’s Mental Health Week Activities

Place2be Activity with Ricky Martin

 

Art Room Activity

Watch the Art Room’s video on this self-awareness art activity and create your own identity plant.

Exploring Emotions Tip Sheet for Families

Download this Exploring Emotions Tip Sheet for families on how to encourage children to explore and express their emotions.

You can purchase Just What to Do at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

June 21 – National Seashell Day

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About the Holiday

Seashells are natural wonders! Curved and fluted, bleached and delicately hued, shells provide homes, create pearls, house culinary delicacies, inspire crafts—and if you hold a conch shell to your ear, you can hear the ocean’s song.  National Seashell Day was established in 2016 by the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel in southwest Florida to commemorate the amazing presence of seashells in the area. But you don’t have to live in Florida to find or appreciate beautiful shells or celebrate the holiday. If you live near a beach, take a trip to walk along the shore and find some treasures. And anyone can become a armchair beachcomber by checking out some books or websites about seashells. Today’s book reveals just what a gift seashells—and children—are.

Thanks to Candlewick and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing Sora’s Seashells with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Sora’s Seashells: A Name is a Gift to be Treasured

Written by Helena Ku Rhee | Illustrated by Stella Lim and Ji-Hyuk Kim

 

Every summer, Sora’s grandmother came to visit. The first thing Sora and Halmoni did together was go to the beach to look for seashells. They found all types and sizes of shells, but “Halmoni chose the prettiest shell and tucked it into her pocket.” Then as they left the beach, Halmoni left the shell on a bench. When Sora asked why they couldn’t take it home, Halmoni told her, “‘It’s a gift for anyone who sees its beauty.'” Sora wanted to take the shell, but she got on the bus without it.

When they went to the beach the next day, Sora was sad to see that “their” shell was gone. But Halmoni reminded Sora that it didn’t belong to them, that it was a gift. As she and Halmoni combed the beach for shells, Sora hid pretty shells in her pocket, and when she got home she put them in a jar. By the time Halmoni’s visit was over, Sora’s jar was full.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sora's-seashells-Halmom

Image copyright Stella Lim with Ji-Hyuk Kim, 2023; text copyright Helena Ku Rhee, 2023. Courtesy of Candlewick.

At the end of summer, Sora began kindergarten. While most of the kids were nice, a few made fun of her name. They called it “weird” and asked if it wasn’t really “Sara.” Their taunting gave her a stomachache. Sora never told her parents, and the teasing continued. Then one day the family got news that Halmoni had died. As Sora’s parents told her, she “thought of all the summers ahead without her grandmother” and how “she would say her name, with a soft s and a gently rolled r.” Suddenly all of Sora’s pent up emotions flowed out. Crying, Sora said, “‘I want to see Halmoni. And I hate my name. I want to be Sara!”

To take comfort Sora and her parents drove out to the beach. As they walked along the shore, Sora’s mother picked up a beautiful pink shell—just the type that Sora loved—and held it in her hands. She told her daughter that “‘Sora means “seashell” in Korean'” and repeated Halmoni’s belief that “‘finding a perfect shell is like receiving a wonderful gift.'” It was Halmoni who had suggested the name Sora. Then Sora’s parents hugged her and said, “‘You’re our greatest gift, Sora.'”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sora's-seashells-kindergarten

Image copyright Stella Lim with Ji-Hyuk Kim, 2023; text copyright Helena Ku Rhee, 2023. Courtesy of Candlewick.

The next week for show-and-tell, Sora brought her jar of seashells and told the class the meaning of her name. She then handed a shell to her teacher and to her friends. Then she came to the kids who teased her. She gave each of them a shell too. One boy said her name made sense now; another told her Sora sounded like a superhero. Sora was surprised. She smiled and said, “‘Thanks.'” When she returned to her seat, she felt like she was soaring. 

After school, Sora went back to the beach with her parents. She had one shell left in her jar. She took it out and placed it on the bench—a “gift for anyone who could see its beauty.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sora's-seashells-bench

Image copyright Stella Lim with Ji-Hyuk Kim, 2023; text copyright Helena Ku Rhee, 2023. Courtesy of Candlewick.

Helena Ku Rhee’s heartwarming, multilayered story introduces readers to themes of family, kindness, loss, belonging, and the power of looking for beauty in the people and things around us as her gentle and straightforward storytelling wraps readers in the love Halmoni and Sora share. Sora’s journey throughout the story is profound, condensing what can be a lifetime of experiences and lessons into an impactful message on kindness and a simple truth that everyone and everything contains beauty waiting to be discovered. Ku Rhee also reminds children and adults alike that open communication is the key to understanding and appreciating others.

Stella Lim’s watercolor and digital illustrations, based on sketches by Ji-Hyuk Kim, set the tone of Sora and Halmoni’s tender relationship with soft colors, wide ocean vistas, and quiet scenes at home. In contrast, the school room’s yellow walls and lime green rug, scattered play areas and supplies, and teasing boys seems to mirror the turmoil in Sora’s mind and heart. After she presents her show-and-tell, however, the greens and yellows are more muted, the children calm. Likewise, elsewhere in the story, Lim employs shadowing and light and dark shades to represent Sora’s emotions. 

A standout story that will resonate with readers—children and adults—and provide many opportunities for discussion, Sora’s Seashells is highly recommended for home bookshelves and is a must for all classroom, school, and public library collections. 

Ages 4 – 8

Candlewick, 2023 | ISBN 978-1536209938

About the Author

Helena Ku Rhee grew up in Los Angeles and has lived in various parts of the United States, Asia, and Europe. She is the author of the picture books Rosa’s Song and The Paper Kingdom, both illustrated by Pascal Campion, and The Turtle Ship, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage. Helena Ku Rhee currently lives in Los Angeles.

About the Illustrators

Stella Lim studied fine art and graduated from Kingston University. She based her work for Sora’s Seashells on sketches from Ji-Hyuk Kim. Stella Lim lives with her family in Seoul, South Korea.

Ji-Hyuk Kim is the illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Through Your Eyes: My Child’s Gift to Me by Ainsley Earhardt as well as many book jackets and covers. Ji-Hyuk Kim lives in South Korea.

National Seashell Day Activities

Celebrate Picture Books Seashell Beach Combing Game

Gather Seashells Board Game

 

Beachcombers love to find different kinds of shells! You don’t need to take a trip to the shore to fill this game board beach with shells! Grab your friends, siblings, or the whole family and start collecting!

Supplies

Directions

  • Print Seashell Game Cards
  • Cut the shells from the cards so they will fit on the Beach Game Board
  • Assign a roll of the dice (2 through 8) to each shell, ex. Roll a 6 and pick up the sand dollar 
  • Choose someone to go first and take turns rolling the die to collect shells for your Beach Scene Game Board
  • The first person to fill their beach with shells is the winner

Celebrate Picture Books Seashell Matching Game Playing Cards

Seashell Matching Game

 

With this game you can match two, three, or even more shells to test your memory!

Directions

  • Print two or more Seashell Game Card sheets
  • Cut the cards apart
  • Place them face down on the table and shuffle
  • Turn one card over then choose another to try to find a match. If unsuccessful turn them both over and try again until you’ve found matches for all the shells

 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sora's-seashells-cover

You can find Sora’s Seashells at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop

Picture Book Review

September 27 – It’s Read a New Book Month

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-gracie-brings-back-bubbe's-smile-cover

About the Holiday

Even though we’re saying goodbye to Read a New Book Month, families don’t have to stop seeking out new books at their local bookstore or library. In fact, fall and the lead-in to the holidays is one of the busiest times of the year for publishers as they release wonderful books that share traditions and take readers through the winter in thoughtful, funny, and always surprising ways. Maybe that’s why December is also tagged as Read a New Book Month! Really, there’s never a time when you don’t want to celebrate new books—like today’s!

Thanks go to Albert Whitman & Company for sharing a digital copy of Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile

Written by Jane Sutton | Illustrated by Debby Rahmalia

 

Gracie always loves when Bubbe comes to visit, but this time Bubbe was too sad to do the things she and Gracie usually did together because her husband had died. She didn’t feel like doing yoga or making jokes. “She hardly even smiled.” Gracie missed all the things she used to do with Zayde too—talks about science and sharing inside jokes.

Gracie tried different things to make Bubbe happy again. She asked if she’d like to sing while Gracie played the guitar, if she’d like to come to her soccer game, or help her draw a picture. But each time, Bubbe just said “‘No thank you, Bubala.'” This answer got Gracie thinking. “She knew bubbe meant ‘grandma’ in Yiddish. And zayde meant ‘grandpa.'” But she didn’t know what bubala meant. When Gracie asked Bubbe, she explained that “‘it means “little grandmother. …But you call someone you love “bubala.”‘”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-gracie-brings-back-bubbe's-smile-running

Image copyright Debby Rahmalia, 2022, text copyright Jane Sutton, 2022. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Then Bubbe sighed and told Gracie how much she and Zayde “‘loved using Yiddish words together.'” Gracie wanted to learn Yiddish words too, and asked Bubbe to teach her. They went into the kitchen, and while Bubbe cut up an apple, she taught Gracie the word nosh. “‘It means “eat a snack.”‘” As Gracie noshed on her apple, she thought she saw Bubbe smile just a little.

That night Bubbe taught Gracie how to say “good night” in Yiddish, and the next day when Gracie came home from school she wanted to walk around the neighborhood like they used to, but Bubbe said she didn’t feel like it. Gracie persisted, pulling on her hand and telling her how beautiful it was outside. Bubbe had to admit that it was sheyn. Gracie was excited to understand this Yiddish word for “beautiful” because Zayde often called her sheyna meidala or “pretty girl.” Bubbe conceded and put on her sneakers.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-gracie-brings-back-bubbe's-smile-soccer

Image copyright Debby Rahmalia, 2022, text copyright Jane Sutton, 2022. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Once outside, Bubbe even started jogging a little and taught Gracie another Yiddish word when Gracie asked her to slow down. As the week went on, Gracie and Bubbe began talking about their memories of Zayde. Bubbe even decided to go to Gracie’s next soccer game. At the game Bubbe smiled and even cheered when Gracie scored a goal, and back home they laughed together when Bubbe told Gracie her socks were “‘… so farshtunken, my nose might explode!'”

“‘Bubbe! You’re laughing!'” Gracie cried. And Bubbe had to agree and told Gracie it was for a very special reason. “‘Because you give me naches. That means ‘joy.'”

Back matter includes a short Author’s Note about the Yiddish language as well as a glossary of Yiddish words that includes and expands on the words found in the story, their meaning in English, and a pronunciation for each of them.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-gracie-brings-back-bubbe's-smile-laughing

Image copyright Debby Rahmalia, 2022, text copyright Jane Sutton, 2022. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Jane Sutton’s poignant story will touch readers’ hearts on many levels, from a child and grandmother overcoming grief to the passing on of family heritage to the way children bring a healing kind of joy through their exuberance, empathy, and love. Sutton’s storytelling hits all the right notes as she depicts Bubbe’s transition from mourning to joy over superbly paced scenes and seamlessly introduces Yiddish words through Gracie and Bubbe’s authentic conversations while also demonstrating the family’s strong bond of love and trust. Dialogue rich, the story makes a perfect read aloud that will excite kids about learning the Yiddish words along with Gracie and prompt families to talk about their own history.

In her vibrant illustrations, Debby Rahmalia lets young readers see through Gracie’s viewpoint how Bubbe’s sadness affects her and how much she wants to help her grandmother find happiness again. As Gracie does yoga while Bubbe stands by and shares a silent dinner with her usually talkative grandmother, Gracie’s expressions register concern and disappointment. In Gracie’s attempts to enlist Bubbe in doing their usual activities, Rahmalia portrays not only Gracie’s strong connection with Bubbe, but also a realistic look at how loss can affect emotions and physical energy. When Gracie hits on learning Yiddish as a way to interact with Bubbe, Rahmalia effectively shows how Bubbe’s smile, enthusiasm, and laughter return as she and Gracie share the language and memories of Zayde.

Touching, reassuring, and joyful, Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile comforts and restores while celebrating family love and generational ties. The book would be a meaningful addition to home bookshelves for all families and one school and public librarians will want in their picture book or family issues collection.

Ages 4 – 7

Albert Whitman & Company, 2022 | ISBN 978-0807510230

You can discover more about Jane Sutton and her books on her website and connect with her on Instagram.

You can view a portfolio of work by Debby Rahmalia here and connect with her on Instagram and Twitter.

Read a New Book Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-gracie-brings-back-bubbe's-smile-matching-puzzle

Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile Matching Puzzle

 

Gracie loved learning Yiddish words from Bubbe! With this puzzle you can learn the Yiddish words from the book too. Just print the puzzle and match each word with its definition to get started using these words yourself!

Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile Matching Puzzle

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-gracie-brings-back-bubbe's-smile-cover

You can find Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

January 6 – Blog Tour Stop for My Grandma’s Photos

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My Grandma’s Photos

Written by Özge Bahar Sunar | Illustrated by Senta Urgan | Translated by Amy Marie Spangler

 

Ali and his mother are visiting his grandmother, who cannot see or hear very well anymore and often does not recognize Ali or his sister. Today, they have brought old black-and-white photographs to share, but Grandma doesn’t look at them, instead falling asleep as she holds them. Overcome with emotion, Ali’s mother leaves the room, but Ali stays. When Grandma awakens, she notices the photos in her hand and asks if they are of one of Ali’s friends.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-grandma's-photos-grandma

Image copyright Senta Urgan, 2022, text copyright Özge Bahar Sunar, 2022; translation Amy Marie Spangler, 2022. Courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids.

At first Ali doesn’t recognize the person in the picture, but then he notices a beauty mark on the person’s cheek and realizes that it’s a photo of his grandma when she was a young girl. When he tells her, his grandma suddenly remembers the day it was taken and the garden in which it was taken. She begins to look at the other photographs and recognizes a family picnic and her wedding day. Suddenly, Ali’s grandma becomes very animated and invites him to see her world.

“At that moment I felt as if I were being pulled into the photo,” Ali says. “Together with Grandma, I traveled into the past.” Ali sees his grandma as a child his own age, climbing a tree and leaping from branch to branch. When Ali joins her, his grandma whispers to him, ‘”It can’t really be taught with words. You have to find yourself a tree and climb it every day.'”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-grandma's-photos-trunk

Image copyright Senta Urgan, 2022, text copyright Özge Bahar Sunar, 2022; translation Amy Marie Spangler, 2022. Courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids.

Grandma jumps down and runs into another photo with Ali right behind her. Here, Grandma is a teenager riding a ferry, feeding seagulls, and dreaming of her future. Another photo takes them to the shop where she worked as a master seamstress. “A young woman tried on the skit Grandma had made for her. She twirled and laughed, and said she loved it. Grandma’s face beamed proudly, and mine did too,” Ali says.

The last photograph takes them to Grandma’s wedding. ‘”Let me show you how much you look like your grandpa,'” Ali’s grandma tells him. Grandma is wearing a “gorgeous wedding gown she’d made herself” and Grandpa looked so handsome as they dance together. At last, Ali’s grandma tells him it’s time for him to go home. When Ali asks if she’s coming too, she replies that she’s happy there. “‘I’m going to dance with y our grandpa a little longer. … Your grandpa and I have been apart for such a long time, you know.'”

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Image copyright Senta Urgan, 2022, text copyright Özge Bahar Sunar, 2022; translation Amy Marie Spangler, 2022. Courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids.

Ali protests and says he wants to stay there with her, but Grandma tells him that he must go “‘to collect memories and photos of your own.'” She reminds him that if he misses her, she will always be there in the photos and that she “‘won’t forget anyone or anything ever again.'” Tears spring to Ali’s eyes. He hugs and kisses his grandma one last time. When he opened his eyes, Ali was back in the present. Now his family has hung most of Grandma’s photographs on the walls of Ali’s room. “Whenever I miss her,” he says, “I look at her photos. I’m sure she’s still there, at peace, dancing away….”

Note: While the male pronoun is used on the book’s jacket flap and in this review, the story contains no pronouns associated with Ali and the illustrations depict a child with short hair and wearing overalls.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-grandma's-photos-wedding

Image copyright Senta Urgan, 2022, text copyright Özge Bahar Sunar, 2022; translation Amy Marie Spangler, 2022. Courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids.

Özge Bahar Sunar’s beautiful tribute to the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, first published in Turkey, offers an emotional bond between generations as Ali joins his grandma in formative moments during her life and discovers that they share many of the same experiences and dreams. Readers will be captivated by Sunar’s conversational storytelling and empathize with Ali’s gentle acceptance of his grandma’s failing memory.

As Ali’s recognition of his grandmother as a young girl in one of the photos and her recollection of the picnic it portrays leads to a magical trip back in time, readers will likewise become interested in learning more about their own grandparents and other relatives. For Ali and readers, his grandma’s passing takes place in the world of the photographs as Grandma chooses to remain dancing with her husband. Ali’s sweet and comforting hugs and final kiss for his grandmother before returning to the present reassures children that the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren continue endlessly through time.

Senta Urgan’s wispy pastel pencil illustrations, sprinkled with collage fabrics and sewing items, flowers, coins, and other elements as well as photographs of the author’s and illustrator’s families combine to create a moving, dreamlike feel that immerses readers in the story’s enchanting travel through time. As Ali’s grandma tells him that he must go while she stays behind, she is shown in a loving embrace with her husband on their wedding day, reinforcing the idea that for her, death is a comforting coming home to a place where she will be forever young. Flowers, vines, and trees that surround and support the characters create a motif that death is a natural part of life and that one’s love for another nurtures and grows.

A beautiful and tender way to talk about the life and death of a grandparent, family member, or beloved friend, My Grandma’s Photos is highly recommended for home, school, and public libraries.

Ages 5 – 8

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022 | ISBN 978-1542031158

Özge Bahar Sunar is a former teacher turned children’s author. She has written multiple picture books, including the bestselling The Hedgehog and the Exhibit, illustrated by Ceyhun Şen, which was translated into seven languages. Sunar lives with her two children in Antalya, Turkey, where she loves to think up new stories while hiking in the wild. You can find her on Instagram @ozgebaharsnr.

Senta Urgan is a graduate of Mimar Sinan University, where she studied sculpture. Since 2010 she has been illustrating books for children, including picture books and novels, and also works as a graphic designer. She is the founder of the brand Mala Hermana Handmade, where she exhibits her illustrations and ceramic art. You can connect with her Instagram @toporulkesindekikes.

Amy Marie Spangler is a cofounder of Istanbul-based AnatoliaLit Agency, and a commercial and literary translator with numerous books and short stories to her credit. You can connect with Amy on Twitter @Amy_Spangler.

Thank you to Amazon Crossing Kids and Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of My Grandma’s Photos with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

My Grandma’s Photos Blog Tour Activity

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Spool Photo Holder

 

With this easy craft you can make a personalized photo holder for your favorite pictures of friends and family!

Supplies

  • Wooden spool with hole through the middle, top to bottom. (A spool without a hole also works if you make a hole in the top with a hammer and nail), 1 ½ -inch or larger, available at craft stores
  • Colorful twine or light-gauge yarn, 3 to 4 yards
  • Alternatively: you can buy a wooden spool of colorful twine at some discount stores
  • 3 pieces of light-gauge wire 12 to 15-inches long
  • Clay or play dough
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Glue

Directions

  1. Fill hole in spool with clay or play dough, pushing it well in to provide a base for the wire
  2. If using your own twine or yarn: wrap the twine or yarn around the spool to desired thickness and glue the end down to keep it from unraveling
  3. With the needle-nose pliers, roll one end of each wire to create a small coil
  4. Cut the three wires to different lengths to provide room for all three photographs
  5. Fit wires into the center hole on the top of the spool and push them into the clay until they are secure
  6. Clip photographs into the coils

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-my-grandma's-photos-cover

You can find My Grandma’s Photos at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 19 – Children’s Grief Awareness Day

Posted by

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About the Holiday

Created in 2008 by the Highmark Caring Place, A Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents and Their Families in Pennsylvania, Children’s Grief Awareness Day is now recognized by organizations around the world. The day seeks to raise awareness of the painful impact that the death of a loved one has on a child and the fact that receiving support can make all the difference in their life as they grieve. It also provides an opportunity to make sure that these children receive the support they need.

The statistics are sobering. Before graduating from high school, one child out of every 20 children will experience the death of a parent. That number does not include those who experience the death of a sibling, a grandparent, an aunt, uncle or cousin, or a friend.

To learn more information on the needs of grieving children and find available resources, visit the Children’s Grief Awareness Day website.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for sending me a copy of The Boy and the Gorilla for review consideration. All opinions about the book are my own. I’m happy to be teaming with Candlewick in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

The Boy and the Gorilla

Written by Jackie Azúa Kramer | Illustrated by Cindy Derby

 

The sun casts long shadows as a little boy, his father, and a few mourners walk away from the cemetery. In the background a gorilla, strong and watchful, knows he’s needed. At home, the boy and his father sit on the sofa, aware of the family and friends gathered, but separated by grief. The gorilla waits silently nearby, filling some of the empty space. Escaping into the backyard, the boy kneels in his mother’s garden to pick a tomato. Now that he is alone, the boy acknowledges the gorilla, who asks if he can help. “Okay,” the boy says.

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Image copyright Cindy Derby, 2020, text copyright Jackie Azúa Kramer, 2020. Courtesy of Candlewick Press.

Here, to this friend of his heart, the boy can express his deep sadness as well as the questions he has about death. “My mom died,” he says. Gently holding one and picking up another tomato, the gorilla answers, “I know.” As some of the routines of life return, the boy and his dad are separated by their individual thoughts and the tasks that need to be done. But the boy works through his questions about whether all people die, where his mom went, and if she can “come back home” with the gorilla. To each question, the gorilla offers honest answers as well as comfort. His mom won’t come home, the gorilla explains, “But she’s always with you.”

When the boy misses the things he and his mom did together, the gorilla quietly suggests that his dad might do them too. The gorilla reassures the boy when he needs to be alone or look for his mother in out of the way places. Finally, the boy asks the question that tugs at his mind: “Why did she have to die?” The gorilla acknowledges his pain, saying “It hurts not to be able to be with someone we love.” When the boy wonders when he’ll feel better, the wise gorilla says, “When you know she’s still with you.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-boy-and-the-gorilla-strawberries

Image copyright Cindy Derby, 2020, text copyright Jackie Azúa Kramer, 2020. Courtesy of Candlewick Press.

The boy is ready to see his mom in their shared activities, like baseball, baking, and gardening. Each of these are gifts from his mother that will stay with him forever, the gorilla reminds him. That day, the boy goes to find his father and tell him the feeling he’s been carrying: “I miss Mom.” His dad takes him in his arms and they share their grief. The gorilla embraces them with love and understanding. The boy and his dad sit together looking at photographs and talking about Mom. The gorilla watches them from across the room. Later, they plant new flowers together, and then as the sun sets and the gorilla ambles away across empty fields, the boy and his dad walk back to the house, hand in hand.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-boy-and-the-gorilla-swings

Image copyright Cindy Derby, 2020, text copyright Jackie Azúa Kramer, 2020. Courtesy of Candlewick Press.

In her emotionally resonant story, Jackie Azúa Kramer gives adults a poignant way to talk with children—and readers of any age—about the feelings of sadness, confusion, and loss that fill their hearts and days after someone they love passes away. Beginning with general questions that children have about death, Azúa Kramer offers honest answers or acknowledgements that “no one knows” the answers.

She then leads readers to ways they can accept a loved-one’s death and find comfort in memories, discover the constancy of their love in shared activities, and reach out to others. Told entirely in dialogue between the boy and the gorilla and, later, between the boy and his father, the story feels as personal as an embrace, allowing a grieving child to identify with it without any distancing. Beautifully paced, the story ends with a sense of acceptance, hope, and renewal.

Cindy Derby’s watercolor and mixed media illustrations will stir readers’ hearts with her touching depictions of the little boy and his father, both struggling in the wake of the loss of their mother and wife. The gorilla, painted in shades of purple and gray, is a hulking, yet soft, presence, a representation of the magnitude of the boy’s sadness but his capacity to understand too. Derby incorporates fragility and strength into her images that reinforce the boy and father’s changing awareness: On the day of his mother’s funeral, the boy goes into the garden to pick tomatoes. The gentle care the gorilla takes in helping hold these tender fruit reflects his mindfulness of the boy’s vulnerability. At the park, the chains on the swing set, where the boy and gorilla come to terms with the fact that his mother will not come back, as well as the climber appear precariously brittle, yet they are both capable of holding great weight. And a single branch, no thicker than a twig, supports them as they talk about why the boy’s mother died.

Derby also evocatively portrays how the boy and his father are each processing their feelings independently as two-page spreads allow for the boy to appear on one page while his father is on the other. They gradually grow closer—appearing on the same page, but in different places or rooms. When the little boy courageously approaches his dad, their reunion is moving, and to see them sitting next to each other after the page turn is uplifting and affirming. Derby’s use of color, especially touches of red, adds metaphorical depth to the story, and children will want to watch for the little red bird that seems to watch over this family from page to page, until the boy and his father reconnect and move forward.

For any child who has suffered a loss or knows a friend who has, or for families looking for a way to discuss death and the process of grieving, The Boy and the Gorilla is a must. The book also belongs in every school and public library collection.

Ages 4 – 8

Candlewick Press, 2020 | ISBN 978-0763698324

Discover more about Jackie Azúa Kramer and her books on her website.

To learn more about Cindy Derby, her books, and her art, visit her website.

The Boy and the Gorilla Giveaway

 

I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Candlewick Press in a giveaway of

  • One (1) copy of The Boy and the Gorilla, written by Jackie Azúa Kramer| illustrated by Cindy Derby

To enter:

This giveaway is open from November 19 to November 25 and ends at 8:00 p.m. EST.

A winner will be chosen on November 26. 

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. | Prizing provided by Candlewick Press

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-boy-and-the-gorilla-cover

You can find The Boy and the Gorilla at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review