Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/15/2022 A young girl copes with the death of her mother by sitting shiva, a Jewish seven-day mourning period where the bereaved stay at home and receive solace from friends, neighbors, and family. Initially, Jenny retreats to her bedroom and wants to be alone. The simply stated, first-person narration is immediate and cuts to the heart: “There is only one person’s food I want to eat. One face I want to see.” When the grieving child does open her door, the visitors’ love and support wrap warmly around her like a cherished hand-knit blanket. In Theodore’s realistic, emotionally resonant ink-and-gouache illustrations, shafts of sunlight break through the darkness. Traditions associated with shiva are explained, such as removing couch cushions and sitting on the wooden frame (“It’s uncomfortable on purpose—so we’re as low to the ground as we feel”). An author’s note about grief provides more information on how loss is honored in many cultures. This poignant story about mourning and finding comfort in community is universally relatable. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.