A Flame Burns on: Lighting the Yahrzeit Candle

A girl and her mom light a candle to honor the memory of a loved one in this gorgeously illustrated picture book about this special Jewish tradition.

Each year, a girl and her mom light a yahrzeit candle on the anniversary of an uncle's passing. Even though she was young when he died, her memories of him shine bright and clear: all the times they went camping, read together, and how he was there for every birthday.

The mom and daughter spend the day exchanging their favorite stories, sometimes laughing or shedding a tear, and visiting his plot, his spirit lives on, rekindled in the yahrzeit candle's flame. It's then that the girl understands the true purpose of her family's custom: to share, celebrate, and heal.

With luminous art that glows on the page, A Flame Burns On is an unforgettable, poignant story about finding joy and light in the darkness, and an ode to the loved ones that stay in our hearts forever, long after they are gone.

Backmatter includes an author's note that explains the custom and significance of lighting a yahrzeit candle.

Author: Richard Ho
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published: 05/26/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 11.20h x 8.70w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780593571750
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 03/09/2026
Booklist 05/01/2026
School Library Journal 05/15/2026 pg. 1

About the Author
Richard Ho is the acclaimed author of many picture books, including The Lost Package, illustrated by Jessica Lanan, which received four starred reviews, and Two New Years, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield, which was a Sydney Taylor Gold Medalist and a National Jewish Book Award Winner. He lives with his family in New Jersey.

Carmel Ben Ami was born in the Netherlands and raised in Israel, where she studied at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. She is an animator and illustrator of poetry collections and children's books, including the picture book Uri and the King of Darkness: A Hanukkah Story, written by Nati Bait and translated by Ilana Kurshan. She lives in Amsterdam.