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Erin Silver
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Sitting Shiva Kindle Edition

by Erin Silver (Author), Michelle Theodore (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 7 ratings
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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.

Previous page
  1. Reading age
    3 - 5 years
  2. Print length
    36 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - Kindergarten
  5. Publisher
    Orca Book Publishers
  6. Publication date
    May 17, 2022
  7. Page Flip
    Not Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Not Enabled
  10. Sticky notes
    Not Enabled
  11. ISBN-13
    978-1459827721
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“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

“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

“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

“The comforting text and the warm images will help young readers begin to understand what shiva means in Jewish families.” ― Sal's Fiction Addiction --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

About the Author

Erin Silver is a children’s author and freelance writer whose work has appeared in everything from Good Housekeeping to the Washington Post. She is the author of numerous books for children, including Rush Hour: Navigating Our Global Traffic Jam in the Orca Footprints line, as well as What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19 and Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History. Erin holds a master of fine arts in creative nonfiction from the University of King’s College in Halifax, a postgraduate journalism degree from Toronto Metropolitan University and a bachelor of arts from the University of Toronto.



Michelle Theodore was born and raised in Edmonton. She loves making intelligent and captivating illustrations that evoke a deep emotional connection. Her recent work focuses on exploring the intangible feelings of childhood memory and her strong obsession with the pull of the ocean.

--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09VYLZBCP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orca Book Publishers (May 17, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 17, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 14375 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 36 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1459827724
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

About the author

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Erin Silver

Erin Silver

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Erin Silver has been writing professionally for nearly 20 years. Her work has appeared in everything from The Washington Post and Globe and Mail to Harper’s Bazaar and Good Housekeeping, among many other North American magazines, newspapers and blogs.

Her middle grade novel, Just Watch Me, was published by Common Deer Press in 2020. What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19, a picture book about the amazing ways kids around the world have helped during the pandemic, was published by Second Story Press in 2020. Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ athletes who made history, a non-fiction book for middle grade kids about the experience of LGBTQ athletes in professional sports, was published in 2021. Two new books, The Shiva and Rush Hour: Navigating Our Global Traffic Jam, are available now.

Erin has a BA from the University of Toronto, a postgraduate journalism degree from Ryerson University and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from King’s College. She's a member of CANSCAIP, SCBWI, IBBY, The Writers Union of Canada and Authors Booking Service. Visit her online at erinsilver.ca.

Customer reviews

5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5
7 global ratings
This book exceeding all expectations at a time of need
5 Stars
This book exceeding all expectations at a time of need
Shiva was crazy; people were everywhere. My 5yo was crazed and survived seven days on nachos and cookies I'm pretty sure. I wasn't watching. We had lost my husband. But during afternoon "family time" (i.e., no visitor time), we were able to read this book several times. It touched on all the feelings we were having. The running away to your room, then rejoining those who come to comfort us. The fact that both kids and adults are suffering. And nice art. This is a great book.
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Top reviews from the United States

L. Friedman
5.0 out of 5 stars This book exceeding all expectations at a time of need
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
Shiva was crazy; people were everywhere. My 5yo was crazed and survived seven days on nachos and cookies I'm pretty sure. I wasn't watching. We had lost my husband. But during afternoon "family time" (i.e., no visitor time), we were able to read this book several times. It touched on all the feelings we were having. The running away to your room, then rejoining those who come to comfort us. The fact that both kids and adults are suffering. And nice art. This is a great book.
Customer image
L. Friedman
5.0 out of 5 stars This book exceeding all expectations at a time of need
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
Shiva was crazy; people were everywhere. My 5yo was crazed and survived seven days on nachos and cookies I'm pretty sure. I wasn't watching. We had lost my husband. But during afternoon "family time" (i.e., no visitor time), we were able to read this book several times. It touched on all the feelings we were having. The running away to your room, then rejoining those who come to comfort us. The fact that both kids and adults are suffering. And nice art. This is a great book.
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mwolpin
5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding a Jewish Ritual
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2023
In the face of loss and grief, a ritual that brings people together is always helpful. And in Sitting Shiva, a young girl finds comfort in not being alone. Loving, gentle text by Erin Silver plus calming art by Michelle Theodore offer a sensitive account of how the Jewish ritual of mourning can be comforting to all who have lost someone dear. Each element of sitting shiva is explained in a way a child can understand. Highly recommend.
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Leah K
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, thoughtful story
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023
I thought this book did a really lovely job both of explaining the traditions of shiva and thoughtfully and gently discussing grief at a level appropriate for a picture book aged child.
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Sharif
5.0 out of 5 stars grief and faith
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2022
I had heard of sitting shiva before, but this book brought it to life for me. This is a sad and beautiful tale of a girl and her dad who are grieving the loss of a woman who was a mother and a wife. You see how the girl, dad, friends, family, and neighbors react during this process of mourning. The author’s note about grief and faith is eye-opening and rings true. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
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