When You Visit Grandma & Grandpa (Carolrhoda Picture Books)

When You Visit Grandma & Grandpa (Carolrhoda Picture Books)

From School Library JournalPreSchool-Grade 2-A girl tells her new baby brother how to prepare for the long car ride and what to expect when they arrive at their grandparents' house. Her rendition includes something about every season, concluding that "ANYTIME is the BEST TIME" to visit. The telling is succinct and the words flow rhythmically. Together with the softly colored illustrations full of curving lines, the book introduces readers to a comfortable, loving experience. Each spread pictures up to three events, in a series that expands on the text. Lines between pictures are not defined, also leading to a soft, soothing feeling. Pair this title with Sheila Hamanaka's Grandparents Song (HarperCollins, 2003) for a more diverse grandparent experience; Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came (Atheneum, 1985) for a broader spectrum of relatives; Mariesa Oxford's Going to Grandma's (Raintree, 1992; o.p.), in which a child anticipates visiting her grandparents' farm; and Judith Caseley's Grandpa's Garden Lunch (Greenwillow, 1990), in which a girl helps tend her grandparents' garden and then eats lunch made from its produce.-Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, ILCopyright