A Grandma Like Yours/A Grandpa Like Yours

"A bubbe, a savta, no two are the same, each grandma is special whatever her name" begins this two-in-one "flip book" reminiscent of What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best and What Grandmas Do Best/What Grandpas Do Best by Laura Numeroff. In this version chimpanzee nanas bake challah, a kangaroo savta dances the horah and lights the menorah, "bow-wowing bubbes" celebrate Purim, grandma giraffe does a mitzvah, and grandma bunny makes a seder. On the flip side, a llama saba blows the shofar, a quail and snail saba make a kugel, zebra zayde enjoys the Israel parade, porcupine papa makes matzah, zayde sheep wears his talit in shul, and grandpa groundhog plants a tree on Tu B'Shevat. The cheery, colorful illustrations are delightful and the bouncy, rhyming text make this a wonderful book for Jewish grandparents to share with their grandchildren.

Cute animals, sweet thoughts and loving ways inform the pre-school crowd about the various names for grandparents in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. Jewish holidays and customs form the setting for all but one example of tenderness. The targeted readers, ages 3 to 6, will find the situations amusing and comforting. The book is a back-to-back or flip volume, half for grandpa and half for grandma. Animal grandmas appear as grannies, nanas, savtas, bubbes and grandmothers. In order: elephants remember grandchildren's names (trite, but readers are 3!), chimpanzees bake challah, kangaroos dance horahs at Hanukkah, dogs deliver Purim baskets, giraffes do mitzvot with soup and bunnies do seders for crowds. Grandfathers (sabas, zaydes, papas, grandpas) are equally hands-on. Llamas blow shofars, quails and snails bake kugels, zebras parade for Israel Independence Day, porcupines help make matzah, and groundhogs dig holes for Tu Bishvat trees. Of course grandparents, whatever their names, do these things; animals do not. But animals run the gamut of adorable to adorable and always sell in children's books - so voila! The main point is that these loving animal/adults interact with cute animal/children no matter what you choose to call them. This sets a tone for our children, a tone of love that carries into myriad Jewish settings and names. The text rhymes without too much strain. The active illustrations in muted jewel tones explain the words beyond a shred of doubt. All in all, this book sweetly indicates that when warm feelings arise from kind actions all names are perfect (the glossary explains the words in each language) and grandparents rule. Preschool. Reviewed by Ellen G. Cole

Lively animal grandparents share Jewish holidays and traditions with their beastly grandchildren. Wonderfully illustrated.

this book is amazing... recommended to ALL ages and ALL types of people. it has a beautiful storyline, and a great message. A MUST READ FOR ALL!!