With a Needle and Thread: A Jewish Folktale from Cuba

by Jennifer Stempel, Libi Axelrod (illustrator)

A Cuban-Jewish girl and her abuelita transform a beloved dress into treasured symbols of community and tradition. A heartwarming tale of resilience, creativity, and celebration—stitched together with love, faith, and a little lo que sea.

Romi lives with her abuelita in the small Jewish community in Santiago de Cuba. They don’t have much here, but with a little imagination and lo que sea, they’ll make it work-- so an outgrown dress becomes a blanket becomes a prayer tallis becomes a wedding chuppah and ultimately becomes a symbol at the center of this community’s celebrations.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Jennifer Stempel is a classically trained storyteller and writer, who frequently taps into her mixed Cuban and Jewish heritage to weave tales that engage, inspire, and enlighten. Based in St. Louis, MO, Jennifer is married to her college sweetheart, and is the mother of two wonderful storytellers.

Reviews

[Doreen Klein Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whole-heartedly Heartfelt
This lovely folktale weaves together faith, family, and the Jewish community of Cuba’s connection to each other. Author Jennifer Stempel has created a story that seamlessly connects the concept of lo que sea - using whatever you have to create what you need - within many Jewish life-cycle events. Romi, the main character, her abuelita and neighbor Felipa, are threaded together in a story that blends the traditions, languages and customs of Ashkenazic, Sephardic and American Jews. The island of Cuba comes to life in the colorful illustrations by Lili Axelrod. Back matter gives the reader additional information and includes a helpful glossary. There’s also a recipe for ropa vieja that uses chicken instead of beef - so readers can lo que sea - “use what you have”.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book's soft and lovely artwork, created with hand-drawn elements and digital tools, has a sentimental, timeless quality about it that matches the story itself. Romi, a Jewish Cuban girl living in a small town, watches how her grandmother, a seamstress, and others use whatever they have to make things work. When she outgrows a dress the woman had made for her, it becomes repurposed as a blanket for a newborn baby, and then a prayer shawl she and her grandmother make for a boy named Manuel. His prayer shawl becomes a chuppa for their wedding, and finally, part of the celebratory tablecloth used by their community for special occasions. Would that all of us could be so creative and able to turn almost nothing into something!

[Ilana Wieder · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a Needle and Thread is a heartwarming folktale from Cuba; told masterfully by Jennifer Stempel. The author sprinkles Hebrew and Spanish words throughout this moving story of how to make the best of each situation in life; How to use creativity, resilience and skill to create something beautiful and meaningful. What I love most about this story (spoiler alert) is that just as the main character, who starts out as a little girl, makes a big difference in her community. The people of this Jewish Cuban community come together to offer their help in creating "lo que sea" for the main character. The illustrations by Libi Axelrod are as warm and heartfelt as the story itself. I highly recommend this book to kids of all backgrounds.

[Liza Wiemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Cuba, this beautiful and touching story reminds me of the classic picture book, Something from Nothing, and may indeed become a classic on its own. Romi’s abuelita, Spanish for grandma, is renowned for her sewing skills. Together with Romi, she takes the worn dress and makes a blanket for a baby’s bris. When it’s outgrown, the blanket is made into a tallis, then into a chuppah canopy, and finally stitched together with other fabric for a tablecloth at the synagogue, carrying the memories of the past simchas.

[Sarah Aroeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book that highlights the lesser-known Jewish community of Cuba and the "lo que sea" attitude of creativity and resilience. Making do with what they have, a young girl and her grandmother transform an outgrown dress into important symbols to help the Jewish community celebrate milestones over the years. It's a meaningful story filled with lovely illustrations and so much corazón.

[Abby White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew almost nothing about Jewish Cuban culture, and this book was the best possible entrypoint! It was moving to follow Romi and her Abuelita throughout their lives, and Stempel seamlessly worked in touchstones of Jewish life, from a bris to a bar mitzvah to a wedding. I loved the Spanish, Hebrew, and Ladino words, too. The illustrations have a gentleness that's so appropriate. Highly recommend for young Jewish families of all backgrounds!

[Rebecca Gardyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about appreciating and making use of the things that we have, instead of lamenting about what we are lacking. Spanish, Ladino, and Hebrew words are all sprinkled throughout the tale, and the back matter includes a glossary, a recipe for Ropa Vieja (a dish that is featured in the pages), as well as more about how, why, and when the Jewish community of Cuba came to be. The illustrations are stunning as well. Gorgeous book!

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

With A Needle & Thread: A Jewish Folktale From Cuba is a heartwarming, inspiring, and enchanting tale! This lovely book shows the lifetime of a little girl's outfit and the traditions a simple piece of fabric has made special within the community. I love the reuse, reduce, and recycle message. But what is truly special is the growth of that young girl and how she carries the important lessons her grandmother taught her with her.

[Erica Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a Needle and Thread introduces readers to the Jewish community of Cuba. Just as Romi learns to stitch together fabrics that hold meaning to create something special, the community stitched together their many identities to form beautiful traditions. This glimpse at the Jews of Cuba is a welcome addition to Jewish picture books and is a lovely intergenerational story.

[Laurie Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous book! I loved this story of community, creativity, and growing up and making do in the Jewish community in Cuba. Beautiful illustrations by Libi Axelrod along with a brief history of Jewish settlement in Cuba and a bonus recipe (that sounds delicious!) complete the book. This would make a wonderful family gift for kids 5-8 and their grownups.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Cuba nothing goes to waste. Members of the community use lo que sea—whatever they have—to create what they need. Jennifer Stempel has stitched together a story that takes place in the Jewish community of Santiago de Cuba. An outgrown dress becomes a baby blanket which over the years is remade into a tallis, a chuppah and then part of a patchwork tablecloth for community celebrations. The lovely illustrations by Libi Axelrod establish both place and mood with the soft pastel pallet and watercolor textures. The afterward provides more information about the Sephardic Jews in Cuba as well as a glossary of all the Hebrew, Spanish and Ladino words used in the story. This book reflects the diversity of the Jewish people but the concept of making do and using what you have is a universal one that any reader can appreciate.