Go to Grandma, Hug — Iryna Kovbas | Ukrainian Short Stories / Prose

Go to Grandma, Hug by Iryna Kovbas invites readers into an intimate world of memory, family ties, and the tender moments between generations. In this 2024 hardbound edition from Vydavnytstvo Staroho Leva, spanning 192 pages (~130×200 mm), Kovbas crafts a series of stories centered around Grandma Stefania, aged ninety, who lovingly raises her two grandchildren alone. Through laughter, tears, and quiet reflection, we meet Stefania not just as a grandmother, but also as a person shaped by history: once almost taken by the Germans during the occupation, then working her dream job, falling in love, and enduring widowhood. 

The grandchildren, Lezhko and Rynka, are not perfect — they bicker, get into mischief, but they also cling to what matters: Grandma’s hugs, her stories, and the safe haven of home. Stefania’s arms become more than physical comfort; they’re a shield from fears, a harbor from sadness, a place to forgive and be forgiven. Go to Grandma, Hug is woven from stories‑tests, stories‑traditions, and questions — each a thread in the grand tapestry of Kovbas’s love for her grandmother and the timeless bond between old and young.

This book is for readers who cherish warm family stories, who remember the smell of grandma’s kitchen, the softness of a hug, and the weight of small regrets and big love. It’s perfect for gift‑giving, for reading quietly at home, or sharing with those who need a heartwarming story.