AUTHOR
SIDURA Ludwig
Sidura Ludwig is an award-winning writer of books for adults and children. Available now: Rising (Candlewick Press, 2024) and Swan: The Girl Who Grew (Nimbus Publishing, 2024).
Books
Rising
A child and mother wake early every Friday morning to mix and measure, knead and shape dough that will become challah bread. Sidura Ludwig’s debut picture book is a lyrical tribute to the ritual of making challah and preparing for Shabbat. Stunning illustrations by Sophia Vincent Guy. Publication Spring 2024.
Swan: The Girl Who Grew
A brilliant and tender middle grade novel-in-verse from the award-winning author of You Are Not What We Expected, reimagining the childhood of Nova Scotia Giantess Anna Swan.
Before she became the “The Giantess from Nova Scotia” and travelled the globe with notorious showman P. T. Barnum, Anna Swan was a young girl growing up near the rural town of Tatamagouche, desperately trying to fit into a world for which she was literally too big. In her debut middle grade novel-in-verse, award-winning author Sidura Ludwig imagines a pivotal period in Anna’s childhood, as she struggled to find acceptance in a community that saw her as other.
You Are Not What
We Expected
Spanning 15 years in the lives of a multi-generational family and their neighbours, this remarkable collection draws an intimate portrait of a suburban Jewish community and illuminates the unexpected ways we remain connected during times of change.
Holding My Breath
Spanning three decades against the backdrop of the Jewish community in Winnipeg, Holding My Breath is a poignant coming-of-age tale told from the point of view of Beth Levy, the youngest in a household of two generations of strong Jewish women.
LATEST
NEWS
I’m so excited to share this book announcement! MY SPECTACULAR SUKKAH is a Sukkot story, and once again illustrated by the talented Sophia Vincent-Guy Illustration. Thrilled to be working again with Candlewick Press. And a two-book deal means another picture book is in the works! Big thanks to Jacqui Lipton and Tobias Literary Agency for making this deal happen.
A meditative look at Shabbat preparations.
A pregnant mother—referred to as Ima—and a child, both with light skin and voluminous black hair, wake early to begin making challah dough before sitting down to enjoy Shabbat dinner with the rest of the family. Carefully laying out each step of the baking process, from mixing ingredients to braiding the loaves, the book evokes Shabbat itself, conveying the beauty of taking time to rest and appreciate loved ones. The text highlights minutiae of the characters’ day—steam rising from morning tea, sun shining through the kitchen window, the slow expansion of the proofing dough—encouraging readers to notice the small details in their own lives. Though the figures’ faces are too simple to carry much expression, the mixed-media illustrations depict a precisely curated home with a luxuriant garden, another subtle reminder of the importance of devoting time and attention to the things we love.
Lead challah baker for the Associated Hebrew Schools Tu B’shvat
I had the honour of being the lead challah baker for the Associated Hebrew Schools Tu B’shvat challah bake a couple of weeks ago. I may be behind on sharing the pic, but I’m still smiling from the event! Thank you to the AHSPA for inviting me!
Family Tradition Picture Books with Sidura Ludwig
Thanks for my friend @stefaniehohl for including me on her picture book blog! Are you looking for some great creative picture book inspiration? Every month, Stef looks at a different picture book form, invites guest writers, and challenges her followers to write a first draft.
Poking my head up from my summer social media pause to share this with you all. Check out this GORGEOUS cover of my upcoming picture book RISING!
Thank you to brilliant illustrator Sophia Vincent-Guy Illustration for capturing the quiet movement and family joy in this book. And thank you to the amazing team at Candlewick Press!
RISING is about the joy of making challah and preparing for Shabbat together, and feeling grateful for blessing current and imminent! The book comes out May 2024, but you can already pre-order it at your favourite indy bookstore or on Amazon.
Praise from RISING Reviews
Subtly Enthralling
“Drawing connections between kitchen chemistry, timeless traditions, and the pleasures of everyday life, Ludwig, making a picture book debut, establishes a subtly enthralling, adagio-like rhythm aptly punctuated with the word rising.”
– Publisher’s Weekly, starred review.
Poetry At Its Finest
“Replete with similes, metaphors, one-word line breaks, and beautiful imagery, Sidura Ludwig’s Rising is picture book poetry at its finest.”
– Sydney Taylor Shmooze
Delicately-Paced Narrative
“Ludwig … has fashioned a delicately-paced narrative to reflect the process of baking, of a child-parent relationship, of a child learning and of the process of life, which must be carefully, thoughtfully considered.”
– CM: Canadian Review of Materials
Perfect
“I can honestly say that this book belongs in any Jewish youngster’s early personal library. It is a perfect “book to read together for Sabbath.”
– Julie Ditton @story.book.lady