Something Sweet: A Sitting Shiva Story - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

2 minutes ago
4 min read

One of few books for children on shiva and the Jewish tradition of family and friends helping celebrate the departed and share the grief, this book gently introduces kids (and their caregivers) to this tradition and the compassion and understanding of friends.

Book cover - a boy and girl face each other, the girl is holding a warpped plate of treats and the boy is holding a dog.

Something Sweet: A Sitting Shiva Story

Author: Lesléa Newman

Illustrator: Sarita Rich

Publisher: Charlesbridge (March 24, 2026)

Ages: 5 - 8

Fiction

Themes:

Loss, grief, friendship, shiva, Jewish tradition, and family.

Synopsis:

From award-winning author Lesléa Newman comes a shiva story about grief and remembrance, Jewish culture and connection, and learning how to support a friend.

Something Sweet is a beautiful and touching picture book for 5 to 8 year-olds that handles the difficult theme of death with grace, humor, and honesty.

Lizzie’s never experienced shiva before. When she and her mom arrive at Joshua’s house, Lizzie is determined to cheer up her friend who is mourning the loss of his grandfather.

But Joshua isn’t in the mood for their usual puzzles or magic tricks. He misses his favorite baking partner. As Lizzie participates in the Jewish customs of shiva, she begins to learn a new meaning of friendship. Maybe all Joshua needs right now is someone to listen.

Something Sweet balances themes of processing grief, experiencing another culture, and learning how to be a good friend—and does so with tender care.

Opening Lines:

When Mom pulls a pan out of the oven,

the whole house smells like a chocolate factory.

“Can I have a brownie?” I ask.

What I LOVED about this book:

I love that the opening spread is such a tender moment between a mother and a daughter, shared over a steaming pan of sweet brownies. Which are about to be wrapped and taken to a neighboring family, whose grandfather has died. The sweetness between them, the sweetness of their expressions, and of course the delicious chocolatey sweetness of the brownies all wrap together and play with the title!

Internal spread - in a kitchen, a mother, wearing oven mits pulls a pan of brownies from the oven. Steamy trail fills the kitchen ans curls into the house. A girl stands with a plat in hand, asking of a bite.

Text © Lesléa Newman, 2026. Image © Sarita Rich, 2026.

Throughout a little gentle humor softens the weightiness of the loss, without taking diffusing the seriousness. Making it a little easier for the younger readers. For instance, when Lizzie is told no, the brownies are for a shiva call after dinner, Lizzie responds, “A shiver call? Brrrr” and her mom gently explains what shiva means. Her mom also tempers Lizzie's immediate ideas that she can finish a puzzle or learn a magic trick with Joshua, by suggesting, "But Joshua might want to just sit quietly. Or he might want to talk about his grandpa.” Laying the groundwork for Lizzie to approach this new situation with empathy and compassion.

Lesléa Newman masterfully carries the reader through the Jewish traditions of shiva and the emotions surrounding Joshua's loss of his grandfather. It's a wonderful window and mirror kids and their families. Sarita Rich's soft pastel-colored watercolor illustrations are both comforting and poignant. With the antics of a little white dog (which grandpa willed to Joshua) providing a little lightness - such as when she joins the hug Lizzie offers to Joshua's parents.

Internal image - on the left, a girl, her mom, and a boy weave through a crowd of adults. On the right, the boy's parents sit on low stools, accepting a hug from the girl and a little dog, with a photo of the departed grandpa and the younger boy baking together on the wall behind them.

While the mood is somber, the illustrations help the text provide kids with a non-scary way into loss, grief, the tradition of sitting shiva, through the deep friendship and empathy between the two kids. As the rabbi and the audience sing a prayer, Lizzie places an arm around Joshua.

Internal spread - on the left, Rabbi Sarah chanting to an audience of seven adults and two kids. On the right, a girl places her arm around her friend as the adults sing.

Using stunning sepia spot illustrations, Sarita Rich highlights the memories of Joshua's grandpa which his mother, father, and Joshua share. And a reminder to us all, following the dog's "memory" that, “It’s okay to laugh even though we’re sad.”

The ending is a marvelous mix of empathy, listening, friendship, and a touch of grandpa's wonderfully wacky sense of humor and fun antics by the little dog sprinkled in. The final line and illustration are precious. An author's note explains shiva and a number of its traditions. This is a tender and compassionate introduction (or comforting reminder) for children to the Jewish tradition of sitting shiva and the emotions often experienced with the loss of a loved one.

Resources:

create memory bead bracelets as a family, by yourself, or with friends who knew your loved one or lost someone, too,
PJ Library offers advice on sitting shiva with kids and UC Davis Children's Hospital has activities of grieving children and families.

pair this with The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld, Grief Is an Elephant by Tamara Ellis Smith, illustrated by Nancy Whitesides, and Cry, Heart, But Never Break by Glenn Ringtved.

If you missed my interview with Lesléa Newman on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.