My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee, translated by Sophie Bowman

 

My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee,

translated by Sophie Bowman

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022, 40 pages

Grandparents are often such important part of a child's life (if they are lucky enough to have them and they live nearby) and this is a particularly endearing story because it is based on the author's own experience with her Halmonie. Much to her distress, Gee-eun's parents work long hours and she must stay home with her GrandMom. Trying to calm her granddaughter down, GrandMom suggests they make kalguksu, a knife cut Korean noodle soup. While GrandMom makes the dough for the noodles, Gee-eum makes a dough family to put in the soup. 

Later, on Family Sports Day, a day Gee-eum has been excitedly looking forward to, she's disappointed that her mom won't be able to participate with her. To comfort her, GrandMom tells Gee-eum about good she has always been at running, tug of war and doing a cheer dance. But when GrandMom and granddaughter arrive at the field, Gee-eum is excited, sure that they will win all the competitions with such a strong, athletic grandmother.

 But is seem's that GrandMom isn't as spry as she used to be and when they lose all the competitions, Gee-eum becomes very mad at her Halmonie. Can GrandMom jolly Gee-uem into a better mood with a fresh curry bun that will be their delicious secret? 

I love how the focus of My GrandMom is only focused on the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. In fact, Gee-eum's parents never even make an appearance. Instead, we see the two Gee-eum and GrandMom doing all kinds of things that ultimately lead to a strong bond between the two of them. I particularly liked the way readers can see how this strong intergenerational bond develops over the course of the book 

The illustrations, done with a subtly colored palette using colored pencils and paint, totally enhance and compliment the story and the have a certain humor to them even when there is unhappiness or when Gee-eun is angry or crying. 

My GrandMom will be a welcomed story for any kids living in an intergenerational home, as Gee-eun does, or whose grandparents are just an important part of their life, as many of my young readers do. I suspect this is a book that will be read in my class again and again. 

"A touching tale that exudes love and warmth." - Kirkus Reviews 

"A touching celebration of grandparent-and-grandchild connection that will warm many hearts." - Booklist

Meet the Author:

Gee-eun Lee is an award-winning Korean author/illustrator. She recently won the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award in the comics category for her book, The Story of How the Korean Shaved Ice Dessert Was Born, and is also a top winner of the Korean Young Illustrator Award. She studied design and illustration in Korea and the UK. Her first picture book, Paper Dad, was made into a children’s musical in Korea. My GrandMom is the second book she both wrote and illustrated and is based on her own grandmother. Instagram: @studio_geeeun 

Meet the Illustrator:

Sophie Bowman is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, studying Korean literature. She was awarded the ICF Literature Translation Fellowship at Ewha Womans University. In 2015, she won the Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award grand prize for poetry with her translations of Jin Eun-young and co-translated Kim Bo-Young’s I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories. She recently translated the picture book Magic Candies by Heena Baek, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Follow her on Twitter @SophieOrbital.

Publisher tags;

Instagram: @amazonpublishing

Twitter: @AmazonPub

Thank you, Barbara Fisch at BlueSlipMedia

Apple and Magnolia by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Patricia Metola

Apple and Magnolia by Laura Gehl,

illustrated by Patricia Metola

Flyaway Books, 2022, 40 pages

This week we celebrate Earth Day and if you read the Author's Note for this book, you will understand why I chose it as part of that celebration. Trees, Gehl writes, can communicate and even help one another by sending nutrients to each other, a process scientists are only beginning to understand. 

Young Britta has two favorite trees, an apple and a magnolia tree, and she is sure that they are best friends. Britta's skeptical dad and her very skeptical older sister Bronwyn did not think that trees could be friends, but Nana says that sometimes "unusual friendships can be the most powerful of all."

Then one day, Magnolia begins to droop, her bark becomes patchy and gray, and her leaves turn brown. Skeptical dad and very skeptical Bronwyn don't think Magnolia will be able to survive the winter, but all Nana wants to know whether or not Britta has a plan for helping her beloved tree.

Britta, with Nana's support and the help of her dog and cat devises ways to bring the two trees together in the hope that Apple would send good things Magnolia's way. First, she attaches telephone cups on string so they could communicate better, then she wraps them in a long scarf for warmth and finally, she strings lights through their branches so they could always see each other. And as time passes, Britta is sure that the trees were growing together. Naturally, skeptical dad and very skeptical Bronwyn didn't think the trees were growing toward each other, but Britta and Nana make a chart to measure the distance anyway.

Sure enough, the distance between the trees begins to gets smaller. Britta and Nana may have faith in the power of friendship even between trees, but can Apple really help Magnolia heal or is it just wishful thinking on Britta's part? What do you think?

This is a lovely, lyrical story about the importance of relationships and nature- and, according to my young readers, there are four important ones in this picture book. There is the subtle camaraderie between Britta and her dog, the close relationship between Britta and Nana, the love between Britta, Apple and Maple, and of course, the friendship between the two trees themselves. My young readers actually found five relationships, but we voted not to count the naysayers Dad and Bronwyn here because this is also a book about believing, positivity, and determination and not about giving up.

The stylish, whimsical illustrations are a pleasure to look at and explore. They have the feeling of a child's drawings done in crayon and are just perfect for this story. One other thing my kids commented on is the fact that Britta is clearly a biracial girl with a white father and a brown Nana. Apple and Magnolia makes an ideal read aloud, and is sure to generate some interesting thoughts and observations. 

You can download a free Educator's Guide about how trees and their importance, how we can help trees stay healthy, and how trees may communicate with each other HERE

 Here's what the reviewers are saying about Apple and Magnolia:

★“What’s not to love about this endearing and effervescent picture book?” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ “Beautifully told and illustrated, this book is a gem on many levels.”  —School Library Journal (starred review)

Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than thirty popular picture books, board books, and early readers including One Big Pair of Underwear, Except When They Don't, My Pillow Keeps Moving, and the Baby Scientist series. A former science writer and teacher, Laura holds a PhD in neuroscience. She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband, four children, and large stash of dark chocolate. Visit Laura online at lauragehl.com.

Twitter: @AuthorLauraGehl

Instagram: @authorlauragehl

Facebook: @AuthorLauraGehl

Patricia Metola has illustrated more than twenty books for children. Her work has been showcased by the Bologna Children's Book Fair on several occasions. She lives in Madrid, Spain. Instagram: @patriciametola

🎄A Christmas Too Big by Colleen Madden

 

A Christmas Too Big 

written and illustrated by Colleen Madden

Two Lions, 2021, 40 pages

The day after Thanksgiving has arrived and that means the Christmas season has begun, and Kerry's family is filled with the holiday spirit - maybe a little too much spirit as far as Kerry is concerned. 

Now, there are lights to be strung everywhere, music plays throughout the house all the time, lots and lots holiday cookies are being made, and of course, the family watches all the Christmas specials on television that were ever made, and little brother hides elves all over the house. But when her family buys the biggest Christmas tree they can find, Kerry has had enough of over zealous Christmasing. So she puts on her coat and heads outside.

While everyone outside is also doing Christmas too big, Kerry helps her neighbor Mrs. Flores get her  stuck shopping cart out of the deep snow and is invited in for un poco de cocao (a little cocoa). First thing Kerry notices is that Mrs. Flores does not do Christmas too big. Instead, she has a little table top Christmas tree, with a family picture by it. Mrs. Flores tells Kerry her family is in Mexico, so they light a candle for them.. Then, Mrs. Flores shows Kerry how to make beautiful tissue paper flowers with which to decorate the house.

Before going home, Kerry shows Mrs. Flores how to open the present she received from her family in Mexico - tablet so that they can see and talk to each other. It is, indeed, becoming a wonderful Christmas for Mrs. Flores and a different kind of Christmas for Kerry, who finally is feeling some holiday spirit. 

"Maybe I could find a way to have my own kind of Christmas in my own crazy Christmas house." Kerry thinks when she gets home and begins to make her own tissue paper flowers. But when she's finished, will her family embrace this new tradition?  

Told in the third person from Kerry's point of view,  A Christmas Too Big is a sweet, heartwarming story that reminds us that Christmas isn't really just about decorations, songs, cookies, and movies, it's also about peace and goodwill. Sometimes those two things can get lost or buried in the all the excitement of the Christmas season. But, peace and goodwill are exactly what Kerry brings home after her visit with Mrs. Flores. When Kerry lights her own candle for Mrs. Flores and her family, her mom suggests they invite her over for Christmas dinner.   

Madden uses plenty of humor mixed into this story, so it doesn't sound at all preachy, and most importantly, it isn't at all judgmental with regards to the way Kerry's family celebrates Christmas, instead it organically includes Kerry's contributions into their celebrations. Madden also includes lots of Spanish words into the story, all of which are easy to understand because she has seamlessly incorporated their meaning into the text and her colorful illustrations. 

The digitally produced illustrations are boldly colored and full of details just as they should be and that young readers will love to explore. When you only live a few miles and one river away from Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, known far and wide for their elaborate holiday decorations, you can really appreciate the wonderful, true to life illustrations in A Christmas Too Big. 

Dyker Heights, Brooklyn (click to enlarge)

Be sure to check out the end papers where you will find a variety of traditional Christmas objects. The front end papers has the names of each item in English, and the back end papers has the name of the same objects in Spanish. And there are simple instructions for making Mrs. Flores' tissue paper flores de Navidad that you can use to decorate your own home. It would also be a great class project after reading the book together. 

A Christmas Too Big is a wonderful, bilingual, intergeneration story to share with your young readers as a family read aloud and is sure to become a family favorite, read again and again. I can't wait to share it with my young readers next time we meet. 

This book is recommended for readers age 4+

This book was gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media

Meet the Author:

Colleen Madden grew up in a crazy Christmas house and, like Kerry, she found a break by spending time with her neighbor who was from another country. She has illustrated many children's books, including the bestselling What If Everybody? series, written by Ellen Javernick, and the picture book adaptation of All I Want for Christmas, by Mariah Carey. She recently published Monkey Walk, her debut as both author and illustrator, and is currently working on her first graphic novel. She lived in Philadelphia with her husband and two sons. 

Reviews:

“An intergenerational friendship and a busy holiday made meaningful set this title apart.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Madden’s bilingual tale strikes both humorous and poignant notes; the visual blend of comic-style panels, playful fonts, speech bubbles in both English and Spanish, and traditional spreads offers readers plenty to celebrate.” —Publishers Weekly