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I WISH THAT YOU KNEW by Rebecca Gardyn Levington - Craft Chat with Kathy Halsey
Book Review of I WISH THAT YOU KNEW by Kathy Halsey
Early this summer I participated in the 2026 Kidlit Zombie Week and won a 30-Minute Ask Me Anything Rebecca Gardyn Levington. During that discussion we talked about her newest picture book, I WISH THAT YOU KNEW (A Bereavement Picture Book for Kids), which led into this blog post.Rebecca and illustrator Alyssa Russell have created an evocative book that discusses the death of a grandparent in an accessible, heartfelt way through lyrical text and soft, whimsical art. Books like this give both children and parents a way to share and examine their feelings when a loved one dies.
What distinguishes Rebecca and Alyssa's book are the tangible ways children can share and move through grief with family, religious and cultural rituals. The granddaughter recounts moments and memories they created together– from walking on the beach, sharing laughs during sleepovers with friends, to being fashionistas. She creates a special memorial stone to remember her grandmother for the first yahrzeit, or anniversary, of her passing. At the unveiling ceremony, Jewish people leave stones because stone is permanent unlike flowers that don’t last. The theme of making lasting memories that can be seen and touched is a very powerful and comforting motif.
Craft Chat with Rebecca Gardyn Levington
Kathy: As we chatted about your newest picture book, we discussed the way grandparents and older characters are typically depicted in stories. This grandmother is active and involved with her granddaughter and with other children as seen in the sleepover spread. Did you have an overarching art note for illustrator Alyssa Russell when you created this manuscript? What background did you draw from to create the interactive relationship between the characters?
Rebecca: Thanks so much for inviting me on the GROG, Kathy! I’m so honored to be here.The primary inspiration for this book was my Grandma Charlotte, my Gram. She was just 46 years old when I was born, so I had her in my life for almost 40 years and she was truly my best friend. This book was also very much inspired by my step-mother, Jackie, who also was huge figure in my life from the time I was 8 years old, and who passed away the same year as Gram.
I didn’t have any illustration notes about what the grandmother should look like in the book. But when I saw that Alyssa’s original character sketch for the grandmother was a very typical “sweet little old grandma” type, I knew I had say something. I absolutely LOVE everything about Alyssa’s illustrations in this book, and I liked the character she’d come up with, but my Grandma Charlotte was...