Eighteen Flowers for Grandma: A Gift of Chai
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. Back matter 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.
Reviews
A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Book of the Year 2024
Gerontological Society of America Krout and Elmore Children’s Book Award for Best Portrayal of Aging Finalist
“To mark Sadie’s kindergarten graduation, Grandma gave her a necklace with the Hebrew word for life, transliterated as chai. Grandma explains that chai is represented by the number 18, which is considered lucky. Sadie hopes to repay the favor by giving Grandma a bouquet of 18 flowers for her own graduation. It’s the perfect gift: The two of them enjoy making art together, and Grandma especially loves creating flowers. So Sadie tries out different methods to construct her bouquet—pressing dandelions, creating flowers using cardboard and crayon—but nothing feels right. After Grandma explains why she loves flowers so much (quoting Marc Chagall, she says, “They’re life itself, in all its happy brilliance”), Sadie finds inspiration and makes the perfect bouquet. Jewish culture, specifically Ashkenazi traditions such as dancing the hora to klezmer music, imbues this straightforward story with depth. Inspired by Jewish paper-cutting folk art, White’s illustrations are soft and cozy, dominated by mossy green and beige. Swoops and strokes of color make the story feel intimate, almost like an art project itself. Grandma has white hair and pale skin, Sadie has black hair and light brown skin, and supporting characters have a variety of skin tones and hair textures.
A gentle tale of intergenerational bonding that will appeal to budding artists.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Alison Goldberg (Bottle Tops) and Jesse White (Mabel Meets a Black Bear) 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.”—Nell Beram, Shelf Awareness
“I happily recommend this book to all readers. Everyone will enjoy the story and beautiful illustrations about the special relationship between a grandchild and grandparent, creating art using all types of materials, and learning about Jewish concepts. My favorite quote from the story is ‘May our lives be filled with art and our art be filled with life.’”—The Sydney Taylor Shmooze
“An exceedingly quiet picture book that lightly touches on Jewish traditions and will fill a need for stories of perseverance.”—School Library Journal
“The story cleverly mentions traditional Klezmer music and noted artist Marc Chagall and illustrates the Jewish folk art of paper cutting. The illustrations are quietly depicted in muted pastels. The book should spark creativity in the young reader while revealing the traditions that enrich a culture.””—San Francisco Book Review
100 Best Multicultural Picture Books of 2024
“A gorgeous celebration of family, culture, and the enduring bond between generations.”—Colours of Us
“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… This highly recommended book includes an author’s note, background information, and a chart of the Hebrew alphabet.” —Emily Schneider, Jewish Book Council
“I recommend this intergenerational story that blends art, family, and tradition while celebrating the joys and timelessness of creativity.”—GoodReadsWithRonna.com
Now Available
Signed Copies: Porter Square Books Silver Unicorn Bookstore Harvard Book Store Brookline Booksmith Bookshop Barnes & Noble AmazonHere’s an interview where I talk about some of my inspirations for this book on Jewish Books for Kids.
I wrote this blog post for 24 Carrot Writing about how asking questions about creativity has shaped my books.
I enjoy connecting with young readers and writers at schools, bookstores, libraries, and cultural organizations. I have new programs for the 2024-2025 School Year!
Visit the Eighteen Flowers for Grandma page on TeachingBooks for educator resources.