With a Needle and Thread: A Jewish Folktale from Cuba [Hardcover]

A Cuban-Jewish girl and herabuelitatransform a beloved dress into treasured symbols of community and tradition. A heartwarming tale of resilience, creativity, and celebration—stitched together with love, faith, and a littlelo que sea.

Romi lives with herabuelitain the small Jewish community in Santiago de Cuba. They don’t have much here, but with a little imagination and lo que sea, they’ll make it work-- so an outgrown dress becomes a blanket becomes a prayer tallis becomes a wedding chuppah and ultimately becomes a symbol at the center of this community’s celebrations. Author, Jennifer Stempel has woven her own Cuban Jewish heritage into this heartwarming folktale. Readers will delight in Libi Axelrod’s detailed illustrations which highlight the rich traditions of this unique community.Jennifer Stempel is a classically trained storyteller and writer, who frequently taps into her mixed Cuban and Jewish heritage to weave tales that engage, inspire, and enlighten. Based in St. Louis, MO, Jennifer is married to her college sweetheart, and is the mother of two wonderful storytellers.K-GR 3 A young girl uses the magic of sewing to give to her community in this artful picture book. As a little girl, Romi learns to sew from her grandmother, the seamstress in their Jewish community in Cuba. As she grows, her dress turns into a beloved ­blanket for a baby, then a shawl for Romi’s friend Manuel. As the years pass, that shawl is made into a special chuppah for Romi and Manuel’s wedding, until finally Romi uses it one last time to create something for the entire community. Friendship and love within the people are expressed in soft, comforting illustrations and in the way the different characters help one another. The text shares the passage of time with readers, describing the changes happening in Romi’s life and the way she and her grandmother have ulÓ5