Sitting Shiva

  • Illustrated By: Michelle Theodore
  • Pages:32
  • Publisher:Orca Book Publishers
  • Themes:Jewish, community, grief, loss, difficult topics
  •  
  • Available:05/17/2022
  • Lexile:AD560L
  • ATOS:2.8
  • Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient:O
Hardcover
9781459827721
$21.95
EPUB
9781459827745 LICENSE OPTIONS
$17.99

A little girl grieves the loss of her mother, but she can’t grieve alone.

When her friends and family arrive at her house to sit shiva, laden with cakes and stories, she refuses to come downstairs. But the laughter and memories gradually bring her into the fold, where she is comforted by her community. By the end of the book, she feels stronger and more nourished, and she understands the beautiful tradition. Then, when sees her father sitting alone, she is able to comfort him in his time of need. Sitting Shiva is a beautiful, heartfelt story about grief and loss, but also about comfort and community. It shows that no matter what religion you practice, we are all more similar than we are different.

A note from the author explains the ritual of sitting shiva, a seven-day period of mourning for the death of a family member observed in Jewish homes.

“A thoughtful and gentle introduction to shiva, grief, and mourning to even the littlest of readers.”
– Association of Jewish Libraries
“This poignant story about mourning and finding comfort in community is universally relatable.”
– Booklist
“Explains the Jew­ish mourn­ing peri­od in a gen­tle, easy-to-under­stand, car­ing man­ner…Sim­ple and acces­si­ble...Care­ful­ly phrased, evoca­tive­ly illus­trat­ed, and empha­sizes time spent with fam­i­ly and friends.”
– Jewish Book Council
“With its lovely, warm illustrations and perfectly pitched storyline, provides an accessible introduction to shiva for readers of all ages…A sensitive, powerful treatment of a child’s grief.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Shows great empathy for a child’s feelings when coping with loss. That Silver does this task in a unique and emotional way that manages to convey the traditions associated with the practice of sitting Shiva is admirable. Highly Recommended.”
– CM: Canadian Review of Materials
“The comforting text and the warm images will help young readers begin to understand what shiva means in Jewish families.”
– Sal's Fiction Addiction
Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) Sydney Taylor Book Award - Honor Book   | 2023  |  Commended
The Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (ILA CL/R SIG) Notable Books for a Global Society list   | 2023  |  Commended
OLA Best Bets Top Ten   | 2022  |  Commended
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection   | 2022  |  Commended
The Vine Awards for Canadian Jewish Literature - Young Adult/Children’s   | 2023  |  Short-listed
Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award   | 2023  |  Nominated

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