GRACIE BRINGS BACK BUBBE'S SMILE

Gracie’s grandpa died recently, and her grandmother is grieving.

Usually, when Bubbe visits, she and Gracie do all kinds of things together, but this time Bubbe is too sad. When Bubbe mentions how she loved using Yiddish words with Gracie’s grandfather, the little girl asks her grandmother to teach her Yiddish. Gracie already knows zayde (grandfather) and bubbe, but Bubbe teaches her other words, some of which have passed into English and which readers may already know, like nosh (“eat a snack”). Bubala, as Bubbe explained earlier, means “little grandmother” and is a term of endearment. And at bedtime, Bubbe tells Gracie, “A gute nakht” (“goodnight”). Bubbe uses Yiddish words in context, and Grace picks them up easily, as will readers. Slowly, as the two bond over the language, Bubbe starts to smile and even laughs out loud one day. Colorful, stylized illustrations show a family resemblance among Gracie, her mom, and her grandma. The reality of death is introduced, but the focus is on naches, or joy, that one’s children and grandchildren can bring, even after a loved one dies. This is a gentle take on coping with a loss that can be used in educational settings or among families. In an author’s note, Sutton explains that “Different people pronounce these words in different ways.” The main characters are light-skinned and Jewish; Gracie’s neighborhood is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A tender reminder that family and culture can buoy us after loss.