Hello dear blog friends! It’s another beautiful Monday…so let’s start off the week with a peek at an AMAZING cover from a long time kid lit buddy, Rebecca Gardyn Levington for an upcoming book illustrated by Alyssa Russell, coming out from Little Bee Books on August 25, 2026.
Written by: Rebecca Gardyn Levington
Illustrated by: Alyssa Russell
Publisher: Little Bee
Release date: Aug. 25, 2026
And we are so lucky because Rebecca stopped by to chat with us and share a bit about the story and the story behind the story. Welcome, Rebecca!
REBECCA: Thank you so much, Vivian! It’s a thrill to be here on Picture Books Help Kids Soar.
Summary:
It’s been one year since Grandma died. One year without beach walks, shopping trips, and baking challah together. On this anniversary, the first yahrzeit, a young girl attends Grandma’s unveiling ceremony, taking time to let go of some of her sadness and celebrate the many moments of joy they shared.
This heartfelt picture book is about honoring those we have lost by remembering the happiness, comfort, and wisdom they brought into our lives. It is about the imprints that the people we love leave upon our hearts long after they are gone.
What inspired me to write this book:
The inspiration for this book was my Grandma Charlotte, my Gram, who had been my best friend. So many of the things I have grown to love—reading mystery novels, going to Broadway musicals (and listening to their soundtracks on repeat), purple hydrangeas, homemade lasagna, playing Mah Jongg, Barbra Streisand, visiting the beach—were things she introduced to me as a child and teenager during our family’s annual summer vacations to her home in Far Rockaway, NY.
After I graduated college, Gram invited me to live with her until I landed on my feet, and that’s when we became true besties. Her unconditional support, positive energy, and wise tough-love advice over the years have, without question, shaped how I view the world and myself in it.
Gram passed away in 2013 and a couple years ago I was reminiscing and missing her. I started thinking about how much has happened since she died, how many ups and downs we didn’t get to share, how much of my life she has missed. She never got to see my two sons grow up into the amazing young men they are turning out to be. She never got to see me reinvent myself from a journalist into a children’s book author and poet. She never got to read any of my books.
And so, I did what I usually do when I’m grappling with emotions: I wrote a poem. For her. And for me. I never initially intended this poem to become anything other than a way for me to process my grief, but as I continued to write and revise, I felt like there was a more universal story coming through me that might help others cope with their own loss.
A challenging moment I faced on the path to publication:
Before acquiring I WISH THAT YOU KNEW, my editor, Jaime Gelman at Little Bee, asked me for a Revise and Resubmit. She had two major big picture comments (and was absolutely on point with both of them. Listen to your editors, folks. They know what they’re talking about!)
First, Jaime felt like the text was a tad too sentimental. She thought that my sadness about missing my own grandmother was driving the story a little too much and asked me to take a step back and try to separate own emotions from those of the protagonist. She was, of course, exactly right. As I mentioned, this story was deeply personal and I was very sad when I wrote it. But who wants a sad picture book? Thanks to Jaime’s comments, I realized that what I really wanted was a story that would, of course, validate the sad feelings of any child who may have recently lost a grandparent, but also one that would remind them of all the joy that person brought to their life and how that person’s love helped shape who they are today. I wanted the book to be more about celebrating life than grieving loss. Jaime’s note really helped me make that separation and create a better story. Her note reminded me of the Jane Yolan quote: “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
Jaime’s second big note was a question: “How does an unveiling specifically help us process our grief?” The original manuscript focused on the girl missing her grandmother and remembering their moments together, and the unveiling ceremony was simply a backdrop. But Jaime’s question made me realize that I also needed to include more about the importance of the unveiling ritual and how participating in it helps us heal. I did a ton more research and reworked the story to bring the ceremony more to the forefront. I also added an author’s note to explain and expand upon some of the traditions we see the girl and her family engage in within the story.
While it was a challenge to rework the manuscript, I’m SO grateful to Jaime for seeing the story for what it could be. It is so much better now because of her insight. I can’t wait to share it with everyone next summer!
My Bio:
Rebecca Gardyn Levington is a children’s book author, poet, and journalist with a particular penchant for penning both playful and poignant picture books and poems – primarily in rhyme. She is the author of WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (which has been translated into nine languages and is the winner of a Crystal Kite Honor and a Northern Lights Book Award), AFIKOMAN WHERE’D YOU GO? and FINDING FORGIVENESS (both PJ Library Selections), BRAINSTORM!, LITTLE DREIDEL LEARNS TO SPIN, WRITE HERE WRITE NOW, SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND, DINOSAUR SURPRISE!, and I WILL ALWAYS BE… with many more books forthcoming. Rebecca blogs monthly for the Picture Book Builders and her award-winning poems and articles have appeared in numerous anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. She lives with her family in Summit, NJ, where she enjoys bouncing on a mini-trampoline, playing Mah Jongg, and eating chocolate-peanut butter ice cream (although not usually at the same time!). Find out more and sign up for Rebecca’s monthly newsletter at www.RebeccaGardynLevington.com.
Illustrator’s Bio:
Alyssa Russell is an Illustrator from Austin, Texas. She enjoys creating a feeling of softness and whimsy in her work, reminiscent of the children’s books she grew up reading. A mix of graphite and photoshop techniques are used in her process. Stylistically she aims for a vintage feel while also playing with the more modern shape-based designs she sees today. You can learn more about Alyssa and her work on her Instagram: @alyssarussellillustrates
Pre-Order Links:
We’ll be adding more pre-order links as soon as we get them, but for now, you can get more info at: https://rebeccagardynlevington.com/
Social Media Links:
I would love to invite readers to sign up for my monthly newsletter where I share all sorts of lessons and advice I’ve learned along the way as well as answer questions from subscribers about all the writerly and publish-y things. Feel free to check out past issues and sign up here: https://rebeccagardynlevington.com/resources-for-writers/
You can also find me on Instagram: @Rebeccagardynlevington
ME: I especially love what you shared about the editor Revise and Resubmit…it’s always valuable to see what editors want us to focus on.
And, dear friends…you’ve been so patient…here’s the GORGEOUS cover:
I can’t wait to read this book!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful week…thank you for spending your precious time with us.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 