A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of the Year 2024
A celebration of family, culture, and the enduring bond between generations
Sadie’s grandmother is studying art and invites Sadie to learn and share her passion. But Sadie’s grandmother passes on more than her love of art to her grandchild; she also shares her knowledge of Jewish cultural traditions. Sadie learns about the meaning of “chai”—the Hebrew word for life—and the significance of the lucky number eighteen. Her grandmother will soon graduate from college, so Sadie commits herself to finding a perfect way to celebrate with a gift that combines her love of art and newly learned traditions. Readers will appreciate the relationship at the heart of the story in which a passion for art and cultural traditions are lovingly shared between the generations. Eighteen Flowers for Grandma is where love, tradition, and creativity intersect; it will leave an indelible mark on the hearts of readers young and old. Backmatter includes additional information about several Jewish cultural references found in the book, the Hebrew alphabet, and a note about the author’s inspiration for the story.
Praise
"A child seeks the perfect gift for her grandmother’s upcoming college graduation. A gentle tale of intergenerational bonding that will appeal to budding artists."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Alison Goldberg and Jesse White have achieved a picture-book trifecta: Eighteen Flowers for Grandma is a stirring ode to intergenerational family bonds, a gentle introduction to a Jewish custom, and an up-close look at the artistic process. . . Sadie's art-making process is captured both in the text and in White's elegant illustrations, which prioritize lilac, chartreuse, and vegetal greens and, per the book's back matter, incorporate the artist's "own take" on Jewish paper-cutting, a "traditional form of Jewish folk art... made by cutting figures and sentences from paper or parchment." It all adds up to a soothingly nutritive reading experience. Too bad Sadie can't give Grandma Eighteen Flowers for Grandma, a fine choice for anyone looking to give the gift of chai." --Nell Beram, freelance writer and YA author
—Shelf Awareness
100 Best Multicultural Picture Books of 2024 –"A gorgeous celebration of family, culture, and the enduring bond between generations."
—Colours of Us
A Best Book of the Year, 2024
—Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature
In Eighteen Flowers for Grandma, a young girl, Sadie, commits to finding the perfect expression of gratitude for her artist grandmother. . . Just as Alison Goldberg narrates Sadie’s development as an artist, Jesse White visualizes it in colorful, flowing images. . . Sadie’s facial expressions demonstrate her various moods. In other scenes, the young artist is drawn at different angles, occupying different sections of the page. White also integrates traditional Jewish designs of paper cutting throughout the book . . . This highly recommended book includes an author’s note, background information, and a chart of the Hebrew alphabet. Emily Schneider
—Jewish Book Council
