Thank You, Grandpa - Hardcover

Kindergarten-Grade 2-This attractive picture book offers a heartfelt tribute to the love between a grandparent and grandchild as well as a way of coping with grief and loss. The story line is simple and episodic, focusing on small wonders and affectionate interactions. Beginning when she's just a toddler, a child shares quiet times with her grandfather. As they walk together, they admire dandelions, spider webs, and fireflies. The man answers all of her questions and teaches her to appreciate the natural world. He also shows her how to say "thank you and good-bye" to the dead insects and small creatures they occasionally find in their explorations. This gentle lesson comforts the girl when the time comes to say a final good-bye to her beloved relative. Plourde's thoughtful text and Cockcroft's expressive paintings work well together to convey both a respect for life and an awareness of the power of love. Soft, light-filled illustrations celebrate the pastoral setting, while the realistic portraits bring the child and her grandfather to life. Cockcroft does a particularly good job of conveying the passage of time, both in the growth of the child and in the more gradual change in the grandfather's appearance. Snippets of dialogue enliven the text and balance the serious subject matter. Parents looking for a way to introduce this difficult topic will appreciate the sensitive story, but it's possible that even browsers who aren't seeking this specific subject will appreciate this unusual picture book.
Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

K-Gr. 3. Through seasons and years, a young girl's nature walks with her Grandpa always bring new surprises and delights-- dandelions, dew-laden spider webs, a snake "playing hide-and-seek." There is sadness, too, when they discover the still body of a grasshopper. But Grandpa helps the child remember the pleasure nature has brought them and explains how to say, "Thank you and goodbye." Then one day, the girl says, "Thank you and good-bye" to Grandpa, missing him but remembering how he had enriched her life. This celebration of a special grandparent-grandchild relationship is also a vehicle for exploring the temporal nature of life and its gifts. Realistic, soft-edged artwork evokes the magic of the natural world, the girl and grandfather's affectionate relationship, the poignancy of life passing. Although the descriptions and homage are occasionally too effusive, the lyrical language is lovely, and the story serves as a gentle, not overly sentimental, look at life in the moment and in memory. Shelle Rosenfeld
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