The Remembering Candle

★"This is a first purchase not only because of its high quality, but also because of the scarcity of children’s books about the Jewish memorial custom of yahrzeit" – School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Following Jewish custom, a family lights a yahrzeit candle to commemorate the anniversary of the grandfather's death. The parents and children fill the 24 hours the candle burns with memories of Grandpa. Goldberg uses sensory language to make both the memories and the candle itself more vivid. Soon after the candle is lit, the six-year-old narrator remembers Grandpa's "scratchy beard and how he always wore a hat" and notes that "Mom says my eyes come from him." At the same time, he points out, "The candle hasn’t melted much, but the top looks soft." Alko's mixed-media illustrations use collage techniques, acrylic paint, and pencils to evoke the feeling of memory, alongside the slowly burning yahrzeit candle. The back matter provides additional information about yahrzeits, other Jewish memorial traditions, and the Jewish calendar, which is used to determine the date of a yahrzeit. This book will be very helpful to children whose families already use yahrzeit candles to remember loved ones, and the gentle framing may suggest special ways for any family to adopt this tradition as well. A beautiful presentation of a custom that explores its many layers of meaning" – Booklist, starred review

★ "Alko’s multimedia illustrations have the feel of a carefully compiled scrapbook, layering visual grace notes throughout this bittersweet narrative about a treasured ritual" – Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"A meaningful and sensitive celebration of life." – Kirkus Reviews

A Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Picture Book Title

"Alison Goldberg and Selina Alko's picture book, The Remembering Candle (Barefoot Books), makes a beautiful job of gently introducing the concept of yahrzeit" – The Jewish Chronicle

"This is an important and beautiful book which models how children can be meaningfully included in yahrzeit observance" – Sydney Taylor Shmooze

"A great introduction to this element of the Jewish faith, or an interesting exploration of how different cultures handle death, this book is a strong addition to your RE shelf" – Teach Primary