SITTING SHIVA

A child’s grief is given serious, poignant treatment in this timely story of healing in community.

Jenny’s mother has died. This would be shocking and upsetting to any child and is no less staggering a loss for the book’s young protagonist. While Jenny wants to be alone, the Jewish ritual of sitting shiva dictates that family and friends will come to her home to offer food, solace, and support. Jenny only wants her mother, but when she opens herself to the company of loved ones, she finds comfort and safety. The practice of sitting shiva is generally poorly understood, especially outside of Jewish communities; the rituals might even be frightening to the uninitiated. However, this picture book, with its lovely, warm illustrations and perfectly pitched storyline, provides an accessible introduction to shiva for readers of all ages. While the images of mourning are dark, they promote a deep understanding that unfolds gently in tandem with the text. In addition to being a story about Jewish ritual, this book is also a sensitive, powerful treatment of a child’s grief, with resonant but developmentally appropriate language that will appeal to a broad audience. Jenny and her dad are White. Most background characters have pale skin, and two of them are Black-presenting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A worthy addition to the growing shelf of picture books about loss, death, and bereavement.