The Remembering Candle
Alison Goldberg author Selina Alko illustrator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Barefoot Books Ltd
Publishing:11th Aug '26
£7.99
This title is due to be published on 11th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A peaceful celebration of the memories our loved ones leave with us when they pass.
I was sad when Grandpa died. I think about how sad Mom was too.
Mom says she misses Grandpa, but all her memories are like shining lights.
Grandpa died last November. Now, one year later on the anniversary of his death, a boy and his family light a special candle. It’s not a birthday, Hanukkah, or Shabbat candle. It’s a yahrzeit candle in remembrance of him, and it will burn all night and all day tomorrow until sunset. But why does it burn for so long?
The boy and his family spend the next night and day remembering Grandpa and sharing stories with each other. From his stylish hats, to piano duets, and apple squares for dessert, warm memories of Grandpa shine like stars with them while the yahrzeit candle burns – and continue to shine when it goes out.
- Features the Jewish memorial tradition of a yahrzeit candle
- Demonstrates how happy memories of our loved ones help us deal with grief
- Endnotes with more on the Jewish calendar and memorial traditions
★"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
"A meaningful and sensitive celebration of life." – Kirkus Reviews
"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
- Commended for Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! 2025
ISBN: 9798888596494
Dimensions: 248mm x 254mm x 8mm
Weight: 168g
32 pages