My Grandpa

by Marta Altes

Overview

My grandpa is getting old

But that’s how he is, and I love him

This unique look at old age through the eyes of a young bear is big-hearted, poignant, and beautifully observed. Whether they are boldly traveling the world in an armchair or quietly listening to the song of a hidden bird, the mutual adoration of grandfather and grandson is warmly evident. This moving and memorable book about the very special relationship between an elderly grandparent who is beginning to lose his memory and his adoring grandchild is just the book to have on hand for families in a similar situation.

Praise for My Grandpa

STARRED REVIEW

"The relationship between grandfather and grandson is evocatively portrayed in this spare but powerful look at the warm interdependency of age and youth."

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"The story’s magic is found in its spare illustrations and hushed quiet, as though you were being whispered to under the covers."

—The New York Times Book Review

"This gentle and affecting book is narrated by a young bear whose grandfather is exhibiting signs of advanced age and dementia. The simple text uses single sentences that vacillate between the joy of the pair’s loving bond and the young bear’s honest look at Grandpa’s decline… An accessible and touching look at aging for young children."

—School Library Journal

"The warm imagery and gentle telling have appeal well beyond the utility of the subject matter and make this an interesting choice for a storytime read-aloud."

—Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419705885
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	04/09/2013
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Marta Altés is an exciting new talent on the children’s book scene. Her debut picture book, NO!, which she both wrote and illustrated, has been short-listed for several prizes in the UK, including the Waterstone’s Prize for new talent in children’s literature. She lives in London and Barcelona.

Editorial Reviews

The story's magic is found in its spare illustrations and hushed quiet, as though you were being whispered to under the covers…in this story…we remember why small children are so important in an extended family. They are not merely mirrors held up to show us our shortcomings and the ways we disappoint. They are the people who forgive us for no longer being what we started out wanting to be, who don't remind us how we are no longer what we were and who have no memory of us when we were any better than we are now.

The New York Times Book Review - Taffy Brodesser-Akner

PreS-Gr 1—This gentle and affecting book is narrated by a young bear whose grandfather is exhibiting signs of advanced age and dementia. The simple text uses single sentences that vacillate between the joy of the pair's loving bond and the young bear's honest look at Grandpa's decline. "At times he behaves like an old man. At times he's like a child. Occasionally he doesn't recognize me… but my hugs can solve it." Watercolor illustrations in a palette of red, brown, and beige contrast the vibrancy of the young bear (red) against his grandpa (muted beige). In spite of the weighty topic, the cartoon spreads have charm and humor, as when Grandpa stands in front of the television holding an umbrella because he's "lost." Evident throughout is the affection, care, and love these two exhibit toward one another, even as their roles are slowly reversing. An accessible and touching look at aging for young children.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

The relationship between grandfather and grandson is evocatively portrayed in this spare but powerful look at the warm interdependency of age and youth. A bespectacled, light brown, mature bear walks with a cane against a stark white background. A bright red leaf--perhaps signaling the beginning of the autumn season or his time in life--swirls to the ground and briefly captures the bear's attention before he focuses on a flock of small birds, some red and others brown. "My grandpa is getting old… // Sometimes he feels alone." A page turn reveals a spunky candy red young bear bursting onto the scene to greet his relative: "But then I come along!" The birds take to the sky, and the duo begins their time together. The language has a gentle and comforting, back-and-forth rhythm. "When he is with me, he smiles. / When I am with him, I can fly!" An especially humorous spread first shows Grandpa's head buried in a newspaper and then turning up his nose at an offered spoonful from his grandson. "At times he behaves like an old man. / At times he's like a child." Although the elder has moments of struggle with his memory or getting lost, the young one comes to the rescue with a hug or a guiding hand. Altés employs an elegant restraint with the book's design. The limited palette and broad expanse of white space allow the story to truly shine. Even though titles about aging grandparents are many, this tale stands out for its stunning simplicity and avoidance of heavy-handed messages. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews