“Don’t worry, Bubbe, I have all the time in the world.”
—Boychik
SHARON KRAMER, author of the popular picture book Time for Bubbe, grew up in Chicago. But she has also lived in Los Angeles, New York, Albuquerque, and Minneapolis.
Sharon’s grandmother came to the United States from Russia in 1888, when she was 12 years old. She read Yiddish books and newspapers. She went to Yiddish plays. When she grew up and married, she had seven children – including Sharon’s mother. They spoke Yiddish at home but spoke English when they were outside and at school.
When Sharon was a young girl, her grandmother lived with the family. She and Sharon’s mother spoke Yiddish to each other, so Sharon learned to understand many of the Yiddish words they used.
The grand-bubbe in Time for Bubbe is Sharon’s mother. The boy in the story is Sharon’s grandson. He knows a few Yiddish words and Sharon thinks he is a real mensch.
Sharon has always been a teacher of some kind, her students ranging from 3rd and 5th graders to attorneys and ex-convicts. Now retired, she keeps busy with memoir writing, photography, urban sketching, and enjoying her grandchildren.
Editorial Reviews for Time for Bubbe:
“This book is about the special connection between grandparents and grandchildren. A young boy’s weekly visits to his Bubbe’s hi-rise apartment are filled with imagination and traditions…He loves babysitting Bubbe and she loves babysitting him…[The story] will inspire conversations about being great babysitters for children’s own grandparents.”
—Marilee Amodt, M.Ed., retired curriculum resource teacher, elementary teacher and media specialist
“Time for Bubbe is so much fun to read! The six-year-old narrator’s description of weekly visits with his great-grandmother are both honest and playful. What a joy to go along for the ride, whether it’s pressing every button on the elevator…or turning Bubbe’s walker into a train. What will they do next?
These weekly visits are special to this mischievous and playful pair, and you can’t help but wonder: is the 96-year-old taking care of the six-year-old? Or is the six-year-old taking care of the 96-year-old? Time for Bubbe’s sweet ending provides the answer: every week, they are taking care of each other.”
—Beth Finke, Author of Writing Out Loud: What a Blind Teacher Learned from Leading a Memoir Class for Seniors
“When her six-year-old great-grandson visits his Bubbe in her high-rise apartment building each week, they create countless adventures together….an authentic portrait of the great-grandson and Bubbe’s sweet convincing relationship…The pastel illustrations are the background for their delightful loving bond. [The] glossary of Yiddish words and Bubbe’s recipe for kugel…make the book both joyful and interactive…for folks of all ages.”
—Janie Friedman Isackson, retired educator, DePaul University, Chicago
“…a wonderful book showing the relationship between a six-year-old boy and his great-grandmother. Bubbe entertains [him] with scarves from her drawer, pots and pans from her kitchen, and treats from the party room. They both enjoy making noodle kugel together…The book starts with Bubbe having all the time in the world. It ends with her great-grandson having all the time in the world. What a great way to connect the two generations with love and respect for each other.”
—Nancy Koehler, retired 3rd grade teacher, Skokie, IL
“…Bubbe and the boy have vivid imaginations…crisp dialogue moves the story along at a good pace…drawings vividly show their close relationship. The sprinkling of Yiddish, such as “L-chaim” when they make a toast with apple cider, passes along a bit of Jewish culture to the kinder…highly recommended to parents, grandparents and teachers of first graders, who can share their own cultural heritage and relationships…”
—Leslie H. Laila Kramer, ESL Professor Emeritus at City College of San Francisco
“A profoundly simple and simply profound story that will make your heart sing…an affirmation of the unique gifts young and old bestow upon each other. Captivating.”
—Deanie Yasner, M.Ed., retired special ed teacher, author of Essie Rose’s Revelation Summer
“…heartwarming and very relatable…In addition to the sweet story, readers learn some Yiddish words. There is even a recipe for kugel to make at home…a great read-aloud for families to share special memories about their own grandmothers. I highly recommend.”
—Jenifer Zamora, Librarian, Albuquerque Public Library
Buy Time for Bubbe here:
