We have been showered with gorgeous picture book covers lately and the latest one is truly a gift! It’s RIVKA’S PRESENTS, written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by Adelina Lirius.
It’s 1918 on the Lower East Side of New York City, and Rivka is excited to start school. But when her father gets sick with the flu, her mama has to go to work at the shirtwaist factory and Rivka needs to stay home and take care of her little sister. But Rivka figures out a way to learn anyway: she trades chores with the grocer, the tailor, and an elderly neighbor for lessons. As the seasons change, Rivka finds she can count pennies for the iceman and read the labels on jars of preserve. And one day, papa is no longer sick, and Rivka can finally start school! Full kindness and love for your neighbors, here is a story that introduces life on the Lower East side for a Jewish family during the flu pandemic of 1918.
RIVKA’S PRESENTS releases July 11, 2023 from Random House Studio.
Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as fiction. Her books have earned multiple starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Crystal Kite Award, Cook Prize Honor, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her titles include ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODE, HEDY LAMARR’S DOUBLE LIFE, NUMBERS IN MOTION, and CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and frequently presents at schools as well as national professional conferences (NSTA, NCTE, ALA, TLA, etc.). She is a former software engineer and computer science professor. You can find Laurie at lauriewallmark.com and Twitter @lauriewallmark.
27 comments
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November 11, 2022 at 1:24 pm
Natasha Wing
Great way to relate kids to our current pandemic.
November 11, 2022 at 1:27 pm
readmybook2002
This IS one book I’m looking forward to reading. Can’t wait. This fits right in with what kids are learning now in certain grades. Thank You for your work.
November 11, 2022 at 1:29 pm
Bethanny Parker
Congrats on the book. It sounds interesting.
November 11, 2022 at 2:43 pm
annette schottenfeld
Congratulations Laurie! This sounds like a wonderful story!
November 11, 2022 at 2:48 pm
Rachelle Burk
Hooray for Laurie! Another great book!
November 11, 2022 at 2:52 pm
Karan Greene
This looks like a beautiful book!!
November 11, 2022 at 3:04 pm
Sylvia Mary Grech
Congrats!
November 11, 2022 at 3:16 pm
Pamela Harrison
I’d love to read this book. It sounds wonderful. Congratulations, Laurie!
November 11, 2022 at 3:29 pm
rnewman504
Congrats, Laurie! Look forward to reading Rivka! Reminds me I’m overdue for a visit to the Tenement Museum.
November 11, 2022 at 5:35 pm
EvelynKrieger
Mazel tov! I have a young grand daughter named Rivka, so perfect book for Chanukah gift.
November 11, 2022 at 5:38 pm
Kathy Doherty
I love this book already!
November 11, 2022 at 5:48 pm
Jilanne Hoffmann
This sounds like a wonderful and timely book. I love the cover!
November 11, 2022 at 7:54 pm
chardixon47
Congrats Laurie and Asking! I’m looking forward to reading your latest book!
November 11, 2022 at 7:55 pm
chardixon47
Apologies Adelina. I hate autocorrect!
November 11, 2022 at 9:14 pm
marty bellis
What a beautiful story, with an inspiring MC. Congrats, Laurie and Adelina. Look forward to reading, and sharing, this!
November 11, 2022 at 10:03 pm
ellenramsey
Splendid cover and a fascinating story. Look forward to reading!
November 11, 2022 at 11:53 pm
tinamcho
Sounds like a neat story. Lovely cover! Congrats!
November 12, 2022 at 12:18 am
seschipper
Looking forward to reading Rivka’s story. Congratulations, Laurie!
The cover is lovely too!
🙂
November 12, 2022 at 2:55 am
Suzanne Lewis
What a heartwarming story! Love, compassion, ingenuity and hard work always triumph!
November 12, 2022 at 8:46 am
Hannah Roy LaGrone
I look forward to checking this out! Not easy to show the passage of time in a PB so I’m definitely interested in that part especially!
November 12, 2022 at 9:45 am
authorlaurablog
This is beautiful and I’m always interested in stories that take me back to my grandparents. The colors are so inviting.
November 12, 2022 at 5:15 pm
katiemillsgiorgio
How exciting…thanks for sharing!
November 13, 2022 at 12:18 am
Antoinette Truglio Martin
A beautiful cover and the ator h sounds wonderful.
November 13, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Lauri Meyers
The cover is so warm and sweet. yay Laurie!
November 13, 2022 at 6:54 pm
Melissa-Jane Nguyen
Oh that really is a gorgeous cover!
November 14, 2022 at 8:27 pm
Nadine Poper
Beautiful. Congratulations to you Laurie and Adelina.
November 19, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Steena Hernandez
Aww, this story sounds so sweet, and what a lovely cover! I’m looking forward to reading it. Congratulations!