Looking for Light: A Shabbat Story

By Rebecca Gardyn Levington

From the creators of Finding Forgiveness, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book, this hopeful and lyrical picture book about a Jewish family celebrating Shabbat inspires readers of all kinds to look for moments of joy, even amidst challenging times.

On this rainy Friday evening, a boy dwells upon the frustrations of his week. But as the Shabbat candles dance and he feels the warmth of his family gathered around him, he is able to look back and remember that along with the challenges, he also experienced a great deal of joy and awe.

From the unexpected kindness of a stranger to a funny joke he learned, the more the boy searches for the light in his life, the more he comes to see that hope, happiness, and gratitude can be found in even the smallest moments.

With lyrical rhyming text from Rebecca Gardyn Levington and gorgeous illustrations from Diana Mayo, Looking for Light is a poignant story about a Jewish family celebrating Shabbat, the day of rest, that inspires us to realize that even when good things feel overshadowed, there is always a spark of light to lift us up--if only we choose to look for it.

Back matter includes an author's note about Shabbat, as well as a section on "How to Look for Light," which suggests different ways we can practice gratitude on Shabbat or any day of the week.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 037439203X
• ISBN13: 9780374392031
• Release Date: January 2027
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 1.0" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years