Marla Stewart Konrad,
Grand (World Vision Early Reader Series)
Tundra Books, 2010.
Rating: E*
Grand is a part of the World Vision Early Reader Series. All royalties from the sale of Grand go to support World Vision’s work with children. World Vision is a development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.
Grand is a picture book of warm and heartfelt photographs of children and their grandparents. The author uses the word ‘grand’ not only in reference to the grandparents but also to the fact that a child’s relationship with a grandparent is indeed grand. "Grandma and Grandpa love me…. And that’s really grand!" Grandparents and children are from a variety of cultures. The activities, background, dress and ages change from photograph to photograph but there is a consistency in every picture; each photograph depicts family ties and love.
There is a wealth of information in each picture. "Sometimes we like to do chores together." is accompanied by four pictures: the first of a grandmother and children washing clothes by hand in basins outside; the second of grandmother and grandson cutting wood manually; the third grandmother and grandchild cooking outside; and fourth grandmother and granddaughter selling onions.
The simple text is powerful in its content: "Grandparents might be very old, but they are very wise too."
Grandparents guide children and children help grandparents. "We depend on each other."
Grand, as well as the rest of the series of World Vision Early Readers, is highly recommended for both school and public libraries. World Vision offers guided reading activities on its web page to accompany the early readers.
Thematic Links: Grandparents; Children; Families; World Vision Canada
Laura Reilly
Vol. 15, number 4
April 2010
*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.
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Reviews from Resource Link, Canada
