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Reviewed by:
  • When a Grandpa Says “I Love You“ Douglas Wood
  • Hope Morrison
Wood, Douglas When a Grandpa Says “I Love You”; illus. by Jennifer A. Bell. Simon, 2014 32p Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-689-81512-6 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-4424-9847-1 $10.99     R 4-7 yrs

Wood’s sweet text offers a litany of ways in which grandfathers actively show their love (“When a grandpa says ‘I love you,’ he doesn’t always say it in the regular way”). The examples of love range from playfulness (“Sometimes a grandpa says ‘I love you’ by mussing up your hair. Just after you’ve combed it”) to helpfulness [End Page 133] (“Or by showing you how to tie your tennis shoes. Again”) to willingness to watch endless gymnastics routines, listen to piano performances, and learn new games on the computer. The language sometimes tips into the saccharine, but the overall message about showing rather than talking about love is thoughtfully conveyed, and kids will definitely relate to the examples. Digitally enhanced pencil art interprets the text with endearing animal families, with grandfather/grandchild pears of anthropomorphized bears, penguins, koalas, owls, etc.; soft hatched textures, amusing details, and well-balanced compositions add coziness and interest. There is not a whole lot of story here, but the book has obvious potential for gift-giving and bedtime sharing, and those grandchildren lucky enough to have a grandparent to share the story with will likely have plenty of additional examples to add to the list.

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