Grandpa Loves You!
From the author-illustrator team that created Grandma Loves You! and Grandma's Christmas Wish comes a touching story just for Grandpa and grandchild. Told in charming verse with the signature bunny characters, this book celebrates the special relationship a child has with Grandpa. From exploring and flying kites to telling jokes, this pair's adventures and tender moments will warm the heart.
- Beginning of text
- A Special Letter to My Grandchild
| Interest Level | Preschool - Grade 1 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 1 |
| Copyright | 2016 |
| BISACS | JUV013030, JUV013040, JUV057000 |
| Genre | Fiction, Picture Books |
| Publisher | Cherry Lake Publishing |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 9781585369409, 9781585363742 |
|---|---|
| Title Format | Hardcover, Boardbook |
| Release Date | 2016-02-15 |
| Author | Helen Foster James |
| Illustrator | Petra Brown |
| Features | Author/Illustrator biography |
| Dewey | E |
| Graphics | Full-color illustrations |
| Dimensions | 10 x 10 |
| Accelerated Reader® Quiz | Pending |
Publishers Weekly - Grandpa Loves You!
In this inspiration-minded companion to Grandma Loves You! and Grandma’s Christmas Wish, the straw-colored bunny from those books spends time with his grandfather. Writing in rhyme, James narrates from the perspective of the elder rabbit, while Brown shows the two rabbits playing in an autumnal woodland, flying a kite, burrowing into the ground, and swinging from a tree. Throughout, the grandfather offers encouragement to the younger bunny: “Be brave and take chances,/ have fun and enjoy,/ each moment, my love,/ my pride, and my joy.” Using a lemony palette, Brown’s soft images convey the joy of first experiences under the guidance of a doting loved one. A letter template with the salutation “a special letter for my grandchild” appears at the end, allowing gift-giving grandparents to personalize the story. Ages 2–5.
Kirkus Reviews - Grandpa Loves You!
A grandfather rabbit celebrates the birth of a new baby bunny and recounts the many adventures they will have. Grandpa—complete with bushy, white brows and gray, furry coat—is delighted when his grandbunny is born. Sweet prose follows the cotton-tailed duo. “Life is much better / with you, little one, / cutie pah-tootie, / my bundle of fun.” They fly kites together, tell jokes, and burrow together in the ground. A large cast of woodland creatures scampers through the pages to watch the two bunnies frolic and play. Soft autumnal hues and piles of crunchy leaves warm this sentimental ode. Not tipping to saccharine too much, Grandpa gives wise words of advice: “Be brave and take chances, / have fun and enjoy, / each moment, my love, / my pride, and my joy.” As with the previous works by this author-and-illustrator team (Grandma Loves You, 2013 and Grandma’s Christmas Wish, 2014), a special section to write a letter from grandpa to grandchild and include a photo is appended in the back. A beloved grandparent gift purchase to be sure but also a toddler-friendly inclusion to an intergenerational storytime. (Picture book. 2-4)
Author: Helen Foster James
Helen Foster James has been an educator for more than twenty years, and is now a lecturer at San Diego State University. She received her doctorate from Northern Arizona University. One of her goals is to travel to all 50 states, and she has already visited more than half. She lives in San Diego, California, with big stacks of children's books and her husband Bob.
Illustrator: Petra Brown
Petra Brown has been a children's book illustrator since 2006 when her first picture book If Big Can...I Can, was shortlisted for the Booktrust Early Years Awards for Best Emerging Illustrator. Since then she has been illustrating for a range of publishers in the United Kingdom and abroad. Petra comments, "I love drawing animals with human expressions. I find it such fun creating, for example, a thoughtful fox, a happy hippo, a shy sheep, or a caring bear! The other thing I like is creating landscapes, places where my characters can run about and have adventures. Living in a magnificent place like Snowdonia helps a great deal." Petra lives with her partner in Wales.