Review: Memory Stones
Memory Stones
by Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Hayley Lowe
Second Story Press, 2025
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Claire Freeland
Buy at Bookshop.org
Sophie adores her modern and fun granny, so when she dies, Sophie is bereft. Her mother takes her to the cemetery to visit Granny’s grave where she leaves Granny’s favorite flowers. Upon a return visit, though, Sophie is upset to see the wilted remains of her remembrance. Her mother suggests she participate in the tradition of bringing a stone instead, but Sophie doesn’t think a stone could be as lovely as flowers, even if it lasts forever. Her mama tells her the story of angels watching over graves at night. When they see a stone, they know that someone on earth is caring for that grave, so the angels don’t need to watch that one. At home, Sophie ponders angels, stones, and flowers until she has an idea. She asks her parents to take her to all the favorite places that she and Granny had frequented. Gathering a stone from each spot, she returns home to paint them the beautiful colors of the flowers she had brought. She places her many-colored stones on Granny’s gravestone, satisfied with this form of showing that Granny is and always will be remembered. Backmatter describes different customs of leaving items on loved ones’ graves in various cultures. Using a palette of soft, cool colors, the art is sweet and comforting. Notably, there are no Jewish symbols in the cemetery. Rather, there are doves and flowers carved on tombstones.
There is essentially no overt Jewish representation in the main text. The backmatter mentions that leaving stones on graves is a Jewish custom but goes on to say that this Jewish tradition has been relaxed. In the many Jewish cemeteries I have visited, the Jewish tradition of leaving stones is not only pervasive but containers of stones are provided. Lacking Jewish content in the story, this seems like it is targeting all audiences and making the point that stones are more sustainable than flowers. Defining this title as a "Jewish book" is questionable.
Sophie adores her modern and fun granny, so when she dies, Sophie is bereft. Her mother takes her to the cemetery to visit Granny’s grave where she leaves Granny’s favorite flowers. Upon a return visit, though, Sophie is upset to see the wilted remains of her remembrance. Her mother suggests she participate in the tradition of bringing a stone instead, but Sophie doesn’t think a stone could be as lovely as flowers, even if it lasts forever. Her mama tells her the story of angels watching over graves at night. When they see a stone, they know that someone on earth is caring for that grave, so the angels don’t need to watch that one. At home, Sophie ponders angels, stones, and flowers until she has an idea. She asks her parents to take her to all the favorite places that she and Granny had frequented. Gathering a stone from each spot, she returns home to paint them the beautiful colors of the flowers she had brought. She places her many-colored stones on Granny’s gravestone, satisfied with this form of showing that Granny is and always will be remembered. Backmatter describes different customs of leaving items on loved ones’ graves in various cultures. Using a palette of soft, cool colors, the art is sweet and comforting. Notably, there are no Jewish symbols in the cemetery. Rather, there are doves and flowers carved on tombstones.
There is essentially no overt Jewish representation in the main text. The backmatter mentions that leaving stones on graves is a Jewish custom but goes on to say that this Jewish tradition has been relaxed. In the many Jewish cemeteries I have visited, the Jewish tradition of leaving stones is not only pervasive but containers of stones are provided. Lacking Jewish content in the story, this seems like it is targeting all audiences and making the point that stones are more sustainable than flowers. Defining this title as a "Jewish book" is questionable.
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Reviewer Claire Freeland is a Baltimore, Maryland based children's
book writer. She has co-authored eight books, published by Magination
Press, that guide children and teens in new ways of thinking about
feelings and behaviors, and introduce the science of psychology. Her
current work focuses on Jewish-themed board and picture books.
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