picture books

When Grandma feels overwhelmed by the enormity of downsizing from her large home to a small condominium, her grandchild makes an important suggestion.

The grandchild, who narrates, isn’t so sure about Grandma’s move: “Trouble is I like that big old house with the porch swing and the deep bathtub and the canopy bed where I sleep when I visit.” The youngster, Mom, and Grandma, all of whom are pale-skinned, start grouping items into three categories—keep, donate, and throw away—but the “keep” pile becomes unwieldy. But the narrator remembers a teacher’s wise words: “start with the easiest part and work your way up.” Beginning with tangled electrical cords and rolls of tape, over the course of a week the trio eventually declutter the house all the way to an acceptable outcome. All three characters exhibit warmth and respect for each other: Mom proposes a storage unit when Grandma’s reluctant to throw things out, and, later, the little one insists that Grandma keep a pendant that was a gift from Grandpa. Sensitive, quietly humorous text is well matched by softly colored pen-and-ink drawings. Together, they capture subtle mood changes as three generations sort through years of accumulated belongings, all steeped in emotion. The tale ends sweetly and without drama—reminiscent of the late Robert McCloskey’s picture books but with a contemporary feel.

A gentle, useful, and empathetic resource for anyone facing the often painful prospect of decluttering. 

A little girl with pale skin and her mother help Grandma with the difficult task of downsizing. They have the usual Keep, Donate, and Throw Away piles, but choosing what goes where is ­overwhelming until the child remembers her teacher’s advice to tackle a tricky project by starting with something easy. It’s easy to say goodbye to random power cords, extra rolls of tape, and china for 12. With the easy stuff out of the way, the sentimental decisions aren’t as challenging. The bin of puppets will go to the girl’s house. Grandma will keep the cookbook with her mother’s handwriting in the margins. They have some fun with a fashion show, and, in the end, everything, including Grandma, fits into her new condo. Endearing illustrations crafted with an assured pencil line and colored with washes show a vigorous grandma in sweatpants with only a little gray in her straight black hair. It is refreshing to see a child being the support for her grandmother when picture books often depict grandparents as the wise elders. An author’s note and clutter-clearing tips, while sensible, seem of most interest to adults. VERDICT Pictures and text create a warm and satisfying story that should appeal to a wide audience.

When Grandma feels overwhelmed by the enormity of downsizing from her large home to a small condominium, her grandchild makes an important suggestion.

The grandchild, who narrates, isn’t so sure about Grandma’s move: “Trouble is I like that big old house with the porch swing and the deep bathtub and the canopy bed where I sleep when I visit.” The youngster, Mom, and Grandma, all of whom are pale-skinned, start grouping items into three categories—keep, donate, and throw away—but the “keep” pile becomes unwieldy. But the narrator remembers a teacher’s wise words: “start with the easiest part and work your way up.” Beginning with tangled electrical cords and rolls of tape, over the course of a week the trio eventually declutter the house all the way to an acceptable outcome. All three characters exhibit warmth and respect for each other: Mom proposes a storage unit when Grandma’s reluctant to throw things out, and, later, the little one insists that Grandma keep a pendant that was a gift from Grandpa. Sensitive, quietly humorous text is well matched by softly colored pen-and-ink drawings. Together, they capture subtle mood changes as three generations sort through years of accumulated belongings, all steeped in emotion. The tale ends sweetly and without drama—reminiscent of the late Robert McCloskey’s picture books but with a contemporary feel.

A gentle, useful, and empathetic resource for anyone facing the often painful prospect of decluttering. 

A little girl with pale skin and her mother help Grandma with the difficult task of downsizing. They have the usual Keep, Donate, and Throw Away piles, but choosing what goes where is ­overwhelming until the child remembers her teacher’s advice to tackle a tricky project by starting with something easy. It’s easy to say goodbye to random power cords, extra rolls of tape, and china for 12. With the easy stuff out of the way, the sentimental decisions aren’t as challenging. The bin of puppets will go to the girl’s house. Grandma will keep the cookbook with her mother’s handwriting in the margins. They have some fun with a fashion show, and, in the end, everything, including Grandma, fits into her new condo. Endearing illustrations crafted with an assured pencil line and colored with washes show a vigorous grandma in sweatpants with only a little gray in her straight black hair. It is refreshing to see a child being the support for her grandmother when picture books often depict grandparents as the wise elders. An author’s note and clutter-clearing tips, while sensible, seem of most interest to adults. VERDICT Pictures and text create a warm and satisfying story that should appeal to a wide audience.

“Height isn’t everything…/ while my twigs stretch upward/ here beneath this rough bark/ hums the quiet work of growing,” begins the first verse of Griffin’s latest, a nature-themed collection of 12 contemplative free-verse poems centered on the excitement and challenges presented by change. Each short poem is accompanied by scientific facts; the opener, “Heartwood,” for example, includes an explanation of how trees grow and introduces words including cambium and sapwood. Other subjects include the life cycle of frogs (“Nobody asked me/ if I’d like to swap/ my plant-tearing teeth/ for a bug-snapping tongue”) and the camouflage of young fawns (“My spotted fur is my invisibility cloak”). McGehee’s full-bleed scratchboard and watercolor illustrations add context to each page, resulting in a work that proves both rhythmically and visually soothing and educational. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Includes creators’ notes. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

“Height isn’t everything…/ while my twigs stretch upward/ here beneath this rough bark/ hums the quiet work of growing,” begins the first verse of Griffin’s latest, a nature-themed collection of 12 contemplative free-verse poems centered on the excitement and challenges presented by change. Each short poem is accompanied by scientific facts; the opener, “Heartwood,” for example, includes an explanation of how trees grow and introduces words including cambium and sapwood. Other subjects include the life cycle of frogs (“Nobody asked me/ if I’d like to swap/ my plant-tearing teeth/ for a bug-snapping tongue”) and the camouflage of young fawns (“My spotted fur is my invisibility cloak”). McGehee’s full-bleed scratchboard and watercolor illustrations add context to each page, resulting in a work that proves both rhythmically and visually soothing and educational. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Includes creators’ notes. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)