Here Comes Grandma!

A wonderful book for the grandkids to read in anticipation of a visit from their long-distance grandma. Wonderful illustrations!

Somewhere between a board book (in its simplicity) and a picture book, "Here Comes Grandma" shakes itself out of predictability just in time. Other than the illustrations--Grandma looks like she came out of a Dutch fairy tale with her clog-like shoes and brightly patterned attire, the first few pages seem fairly ordinary. A youngster(also wearing Dutch or, at least, traditional Scandinavian clothes) receives a letter from Grandma, saying "I'm coming to see you." The story is told in first-person, as if the child is reading Grandma's letter. (I'm not using pronouns on purpose--it's difficult to tell if it's a boy or a girl.) We then see Grandma and her dog walking "a long way to see you." The next several pages show her looking silly when riding a bicycle, resourceful when riding a horse, and fun-loving in her roadster. This "older person acting wild and crazy" theme is a little tired, and while the repetition of "to see you" on each page breeds familiarity, it also borders on the very ordinary. However, just when you think you know what's coming, Janet Lord kicks things up a few notches. There's Grandma waving at you from atop a train, looking very much the "hobo." There's Grandma in profile, looking more than a little like Santa, skiing down a slope, her dog riding a sled atop the luggage! Next, Grandma floats amid the bluebirds and apple trees in a big baloon, the dog's ears just barely poking above the basket. It just gets better and better. Grandma shows up in a one-piece with giant flippers, leaving a sub and an octopus behind her: "I'll race a submarine and glide through the ocean to see you" She even flies her own bright orange colored plane, wearing goggles (even the dog wears them!) Near the conclusion, we see a mural-like presentation of all the things Grandma did to see her grandchild, and the cute, old-fashioned illustration feels happy and light. The best is saved for last, because Grandma has planned her arrival: "...We'll whirl and twirl, and laugh and sing, and I'll give you a great big hug."

Two year old Bella LOVES this book ... and as a long distance grandma, I really liked it too!!!!

Every page of this book exudes the love of a grandmother for her grandchild. On each 2-page spread, a plump, old-fashioned grandmother takes a bike, skis, car, etc. to visit the child. The pictures are amusing for an adult even after many readings (I especially like the woman in her rubber bathing cap and polka-dot swimsuit) and they are also filled with small details that keep a child's attention. The words have a wonderful pattern that is characteristic of classics. And the ending is perfect, a big bearhug when the grandmother arrives. A fantastic book!

I think that this is a wonderful book for very young children. The bright and colorful illustrations are simple, yet offer plenty of images for children to notice and learn from. The text is comforting and conveys a loving message for little ones. I look forward to reading it to my future grandchildren!