Here is the Publishers Weekly announcement for my next picture book, SOME WISHES, illustrated by Jeanette Bradley, edited by Alexandra Hinrichs, to be published by Islandport Press!
When my son was around four, he asked me a question about a wishing coin. It was his question which led me to an exploration of the many ways children make wishes, and the power of holding on to something we hope for deep, deep down.
But with picture books, the writing is only a part of the story. And when we’re lucky, an illustrator comes along who takes our words and brings them to a completely unexpected place. I’m so grateful that in Jeanette’s hands, SOME WISHES has surprised and moved me (and sharing it will definitely include more tears).
Thank you to Alex and the whole team at Islandport Press for the incredible process of making this book together, and for portraying this New England story.
During the past year, I’ve had so much fun launching Eighteen Flowers for Grandma. I’ve enjoyed meeting young readers, parents, grandparents, and teachers. A particular delight of sharing this book has been hearing family stories about grandmas!
Thank you to all the bookstores, libraries, and organizations that hosted events. I’m grateful to my writing community for helping to send this book out into the world. Thanks also to incredible illustrator, Jesse White, and my wonderful publisher, Red Comet Press!
Highlights:
Launch event at The Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton, MA:
Storytime at the O’Neill Branch of the Cambridge Public Library in Cambridge, MA:
Storytime at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA:
Book signings at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Conventions in Boston, MA with Mia Wenjen:
Newton Children’s Book Festival in Newton, MA with Rajani LaRocca:
Storytime at the Jewish Community Center in Newton, MA with Sarah Lynne Reul and Jane Sutton:
Storytime at Newtonville Books in Newton, MA with Jane Sutton:
Storytime at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA with Lisa Rogers:
Signing copies at Books of Wonder in New York City:
I’m excited to share the cover of my next picture book, The Remembering Candle, illustrated by Selina Alko, available from Barefoot Books on 8/12/25!
This story explores a child’s first experience of lighting a yahrzeit candle with his family—the Jewish memorial tradition of lighting a special candle on the anniversary of the day a person died. From one sunset to the next, they share stories, memories, and light.
I’m looking forward to sharing The Remembering Candle later this year.
Signed copies are available from Porter Square Books.
The book summary:
From one sunset to the next, join a child and his family as they light a yahrzeit candle in remembrance of his grandfather and all of the beautiful memories they have with him.
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.
I am thrilled that my debut middle grade novel, THE LOST SEA GARDEN, has found the perfect home with Red Comet Press, and the wonderful artist Vanessa Gillings will illustrate!
This is the whale novel-of-my-heart and I’m so happy it will be published. Thank you to the whole team at Red Comet Press.
To my critique partners and writer friends who’ve been on this journey with me, I’m so grateful for all your support.
Eighteen Flowers for Grandma releases today from Red Comet Press! We are so excited to send this book out into the world!
About Eighteen Flowers for Grandma
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.
“A gentle tale of intergenerational bonding that will appeal to budding artists.”—Kirkus Reviews
How our grandmothers inspired Eighteen Flowers for Grandma
Alison: This story is inspired by my own grandmother, Eva Dersofi, who graduated from college when she was seventy-eight years old. She had taken some college classes as a young adult but didn’t have the chance to finish her program. When she was in her seventies, she attended a local community college to pursue her love of art. Eventually, she realized that with only a few more courses, she could receive her degree. Eva’s commitment to lifelong learning is one of the seeds of this book. As I developed the story, I thought about how it was art that drew my grandmother back to school. Eva gave me my first oil paints and easel, and I loved to draw with pastels at her kitchen table. In Eighteen Flowers for Grandma I wrote about a grandma who shares art with her granddaughter, like Eva did with me.
Jesse: The sharing of creativity across generations, as Eighteen Flowers for Grandma shows us, is such a beautiful, powerful concept–and it’s one that I was able to explore and understand more deeply thanks to my own grandmother. Although she’d probably never think of or introduce herself as an artist, she was just that. My grandmother created lovely watercolor paintings, often to illustrate original poems and prayers that she wrote. In addition to being a creator herself, she was also a big supporter of my dad’s journey as an artist and in turn, my own. I have one of her pieces hanging on the wall in my studio; it’s a lovely reminder of her and of the connection we share through art. I looked at it often while I was creating the illustrations for our book, allowing special memories of my grandmother to help guide my understanding of Sadie’s relationship to hers.
The book!
Order now
Eighteen Flowers for Grandma is available where books are sold.
Order copies from our local independent bookstores:
Alison will read the book and share an art activity at these events.
Author and illustrator bios
Alison Goldberg is a writer based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the author of I Love You for Miles and Miles. She also wrote the award-winning nonfiction picture book Bottle Tops, a biography of the Ghanaian artist El Anatsui. Eighteen Flowers for Grandma was inspired by her own grandmother, who graduated from college at the age of seventy-eight. You can visit Alison online at alisongoldberg.com.
Jesse White is an illustrator, author, and muralist who creates whimsical, wonder-filled work about imagination and adventure. Nature is her core throughline, a focus that comes from her childhood in rural North Carolina. Jesse graduated with a BFA in studio art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned her master’s in art education from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her first author-illustrator project, Brave Like Fireweed, was recently published by Union Square Kids. She lives in Durham, North Carolina. Visit Jesse online at www.jessewhiteillustration.com.
Eighteen Flowers for Grandma will be released in 18 days!
To celebrate, I’m sharing one of the wonderful illustrations by Jesse White from inside the book. In this scene, Sadie and Grandma dance the hora at a family wedding. I love how this image is filled with movement, music, and joy.
I recently spoke with Barbara Bietz at Jewish Books for Kids about some of the Jewish art forms I included in Eighteen Flowers for Grandma. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation:
When I set out to write a story about the milestone of a graduation, I thought about some of the art forms that I associate with happy occasions. Dancing the hora, klezmer music, and the symbolism of the chai necklace convey the joy I wanted to weave into the book. These art forms make me think about celebrating significant events with family and friends.
Alison: This story is inspired by my own grandmother, Eva Dersofi, who graduated from college when she was seventy-eight years old. She had taken some college classes as a young adult but didn’t have the chance to finish her program. When she was in her seventies, she attended a local community college to pursue her love of art. Eventually, she realized that with only a few more courses, she could receive her degree. Eva’s commitment to lifelong learning is one of the seeds of this book. As I developed the story, I thought about how it was art that drew my grandmother back to school. Eva gave me my first oil paints and easel, and I loved to draw with pastels at her kitchen table. In Eighteen Flowers for Grandma I wrote about a grandma who shares art with her granddaughter, like Eva did with me.
