Smith, Lane. Grandpa
Green. New York: Roaring Book Press,
2011. ISBN 1596436077
According to his great-grandson,
Grandpa Green has lived a long and full life.
He was born before cell phones (so yes, a really long time ago) and grew
up on a farm raising animals and vegetables.
As his great-grandson walks readers though Grandpa Green’s lifetime of
school, world war, love and family, we see his story unfold in the carefully
shaped shrubs of his beloved garden. But
now he is older and remembering his past does not come easy for Grandpa Green,
so it is lucky he has his garden to remind him.
Like an elephant that never forgets, Grandpa Green’s masterpiece of
plants and shrubs help him remember and share his unforgettable life.
Smith’s story carefully unfolds to
reveal the love and admiration a boy has for his great-grandpa, while also
walking young readers through the history of a respected generation. The book shares important life milestones
with children, from getting the chicken pox during grade school to falling in
love while serving your country, but does so in a way that allows them to fill
in the details with their own imaginations.
The subtle symbols throughout the story, such as a large forgetful
elephant for Grandpa Green and a tree that twists and grows through the seasons
of his life, will delight and surprise readers both young and old.
Smith’s whimsical illustrations let the
real stars of the book shine: Grandpa Green’s exquisitely carved topiaries. The large white backgrounds and simply drawn
characters allow the bold green shrubs to pop off the pages, inviting readers
to closely examine the details and layers of each garden scene. The pictures seem to move across the span of
the pages, creating the feeling of time passing throughout Grandpa Green’s
life. The book’s surprise ending is a
double-page foldout spread that depicts Grandpa’s entire garden with his final
creation, his great-grandson, carved carefully in the middle.
The New York Time Book Review praises GRANDPA GREEN as “an unassuming little
masterpiece,” while the The Horn Book calls Smith’s story “a thoughtful,
eloquent, and elegantly illustrated book to explore, consider, and read
again.” A 2012 Caldecott Honor Book, GRANDPA GREEN can help spur conversations between children and
grandparents, opening the doors to topics such as family history and aging
relatives. A timeless story that can be
shared again and again, GRANDPA GREEN
will appeal to all generations.
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Children who enjoy GRANDPA GREEN’s
magical garden may also like reading:
Voices in the Park, written by Anthony Browne. ISBN 078948191X
Red
Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors, written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated
by Pamela Zagarenski. ISBN 0547014945
For more reading on the bond between
grandparents and their grandchildren, check out:
The
Imaginary Garden, written by Andrew Larsen, illustrated
by Irene Luxbacher. ISBN 1554532795
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