Joanne Schwartz, illustrated by Laura Beingessner,
Our Corner Grocery Store
Tundra Books, 2009

Rating: G*

Our Corner Grocery Store is a fictional journey of Anna Maria and her grandparents, Nonno Domenico and Nonna Rosa and the grocery store they own, work and live in. Anna Maria arrives at her grandparents’ grocer to help them with the deliveries, sales and activities of the day. The author‘s tale shows not only the closeness of the family business but also the familiar friendliness of the traditional corner grocer and the relationships they have with their patrons. Although the story line is simple enough to follow, the text is organized into paragraphs, and therefore is not an independent story for the younger reader. (This is an unbound proof copy and perhaps the layout of the text and illustrations will be different in a final printed copy). The time line of events is chronological, but is also disconnected at times, lacking development. There are moments when the shift between events and setting happens too quickly and then returns to its previous action.

The gentle, kind characters of Nonna and Nonno and their daily, almost rhythmic lifestyle at the corner grocer, will charm young readers. The illustrations are detailed and provide many additional discussions for those who enjoy the story and it’s characters.

Thematic Links: Communities; Families; Relationships

Adriane Pettit
Vol. 14, number 3
February 2009

*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.