Celebrating Grandparents - Our Multicultural Picks!

In the U.S., tomorrow is Grandparents' Day. This isn't as big a deal for Americans as Mother's Day or Father's Day, not by a long shot (you don't see ads like "buy Grandma a diamond necklace for Grandparents' Day", for instance). I'm not sure why this is, although it's an interesting commentary on our culture. The sociologist in me is fascinated by this kind of thing. But the mother in me is busy making sure we have a homemade card and a picture for Oma -- no diamond necklaces here, that's just how we roll.

A fun way to celebrate Grandparents' Day would definitely be an intergenerational storytime. I think this would be an awesome program for a library or bookstore to host, but you could certainly do an impromptu one at your own Grandparents' Day celebration or the next time an extended family get-together comes around. I've gathered up some terrific picks to share for such an event - none of which are specific to Grandparents' Day itself, making them the perfect titles to share for the holiday or any time you want to celebrate these important folks in your kiddo's life.

1. Can You Hear the Sea? by Judy Cumberbatch - this vibrant title, set in West Africa, catches readers right from the front cover (got you, didn't it?). The story is simple enough for the youngest listeners, but works on multiple levels to teach concepts and share relationships. I love the messages about trust and caring for one another.

2. All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino - kids will recognize Yaccarino's whimsical style, and adults will appreciate his intergenerational theme of a family's immigrant heritage. Based on the author's family's journey to America from Italy, this story of perseverance and connections will get kids thinking about what pieces of their own family are being handed down for generations. A lovely title on all levels.

3. Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia - this was one of Sprout's favorites for a long time, for the fun illustrations and the playful text. This one's great because it really shows the relationship between Aneel and his grandfather, whom he idolizes. And the elements of tall tales that Zia weaves in make this a true joy to read aloud - over and over again!

4. Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki - a classic title that speaks very much to identity and being confident in your own skin. Suki decides to wear her kimono to school because it reminds her of a special time with her grandma - even though she knows that other kids might make fun of her. All is well in the end, though not unrealistically so. A good choice for older kids just starting to find their identity.

5. Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell - Falwell's books are always a hit in our house and Rainbow Stew is no exception. This one not only has a grandpa taking care of all three of his grandkids, it also emphasizes the appeal of growing and preparing your own healthy food. Great for late fall storytimes about harvest and togetherness.

6. Lottie Paris Lives Here by Angela Johnson - it's hard to say how much I love Lottie Paris. She's pretty much everything I adore about kidlit today - a dynamic personality, full of flair and life, and just a little bit of naughtiness (which makes you love her even more). Lottie's just right for kids who like all things color and sparkle, and will add a burst of liveliness to storytime for sure.

7. My Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone - a rhyming book! What fun! This rollicking read features a grandma who's getting around - around the world, that is. Kids will enjoy counting along with granny's purchases even as they are introduced to the concepts of global citizenship. Full of small details that make this entertaining even after the story is done!

There are so many more titles that we could have included, but I hope this list gives you just a taste of all the wonderful intergenerational titles that populate the shelves at your library or bookstore. What are your favorite grandparent stories? Please share in the comments!

Picture Book Review - A Picnic in October by Eve Bunting

As I'm typing this, we're hearing about Hurricane Sandy hammering the East Coast, specifically the Northeast. So far it appears that all our friends and loved ones are safe, hunkered down somewhere and riding out the storm. It seems a little surreal to be writing about a book set in New York, knowing that so many are experiencing a day that's far outside the norms for October weather. Here's hoping everyone is doing well and reading books by candlelight!

And what's better to share as a family than a picture book by the always magnificent Eve Bunting? I've written before about how much I love her sensitive, thoughtful titles, and A Picnic in October is no exception. In this intergenerational story, we meet a family who is headed out to Liberty Island for a very special birthday picnic. Tony's not too thrilled about it, though it's a yearly tradition - he thinks it would be much better to do something else for Grandma's birthday, or maybe to have a picnic in the summertime. But "this is the way Grandma wants it," Tony's mom says, and so that's what the family does.

Gathering all their picnic gear, including chairs, blankets and loads of food, the family makes their way to catch the ferry to the Statue of Liberty's home grounds. Tony's cousins think this is a silly tradition too, especially since Grandma and Grandpa act so sappy in the ferry line. But all the way out to the island Tony can't stop thinking about his encounter with a lady and her family who were also waiting - with not much English, she didn't understand how the boat routes worked - and he's relieved when he sees that they made it on to the island as well, and are staring up at Lady Liberty. "The way they stand, so still, so respectful, so. . . so peaceful, makes me choke up." And suddenly Tony can see what his grandmother must feel, and why coming to this place is the only way she'll celebrate her birthday.

Once again, Bunting delivers a touching and heartfelt portrait of a family touched by immigration and their connection to their heritage. This is a realistic take on a family story -- it makes sense that the youngest generation wouldn't be as connected to the grandmother's feelings, but the representation of Tony seeing his grandmother's emotions personified in another family, from another place, is thoughtfully handled. The illustrations by Nancy Carpenter mirror the tone of the tale perfectly, as the soft brush strokes of the paintings reveal the emotions on every family member's face. Some spreads feel especially powerful - as we look down on the family picnicking in the sun at the statue's base, we get a sense of the enormity of this symbol in the lives of Tony's loved ones, and so many others.

This is an older title, as you'll note when you glimpse the NYC skyline, with the twin towers still very much in evidence. But the themes of family, patriotism and memory are perennial, and the story reads just as relevantly today as it did when it was first published, thirteen years ago. Share this with your kids for a discussion about immigration and identity - pair with books like Dan Yaccarino's All the Way to America or Jane Yolen's Naming Liberty for more stories about families coming to America but keeping ties to their past.

A Picnic in October by Eve Bunting, published by Harcourt Brace & Company
Ages 5-9
Source: Library
Sample: "The next ferry comes and we manage to squeeze on. I watch for the woman and her family, but they don't make it onto this boat. I hope they don't give up."
Recommended

Bonus: a video interview with Eve Bunting from Reading Rockets

Nonfiction Picture Book - All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino

Books come into our lives in lots of ways. Some speak to us through their cover art or we notice them because we're familiar with their creators. Others are the result of personal recommendations or reviews we read. And some just keep pushing their way into our consciousness - an author interview here, a prepub notice there, a prominent placement at the library.

Dan Yaccarino's All the Way to America was one of those insistent titles that kept cropping up in my travels through the kidlitosphere. I read a couple of reviews about the book and saw a book trailer. Then I read an interview Yaccarino did with Publisher's Weekly. Some of my favorite book bloggers started buzzing about the book. And then it kind of dropped off my radar, until I started reading best of the year lists. Lo and behold, that little story of a family that I'd heard about was gently edging its way onto those lists.

And for good reason.

Yaccarino calls this "the story of a big Italian family and a little shovel", and promises that "some parts have been condensed a bit, but it's all true. And all Italian." The story opens with Dan's great-grandfather Michele Iaccarino, growing up in Sorrento, Italy. Michele has a little shovel that he uses to till the earth, and he brings the shovel with him when he travels to America. He uses it at his job as a baker, then as a pushcart peddler. The shovel passes through the generations of the Iaccarino (now Yaccarino) family - Dan's grandfather Aniello, who owns a market and then a restaurant; his father Mike, who opens a barbershop; and on to Dan, who uses it even now to garden with his own children.

The story may be a familiar one but that just means that it resonates all the more with readers. I appreciate the fact that Yaccarino ties the shovel in to the work that each member of the family does, emphasizing not only the diversity of opportunities that was available to each generation of the Yaccarinos, but also the thread of family that ties each member together. The illustrations are vivid and interesting, fleshing out the story of the family with small details like the ever-present bowl of spaghetti with Mama Iaccarino's tomato sauce. Each spread is inviting, with lots of action and depth to the backgrounds that tell a tale all their own.

This is the kind of tale that makes it easy for kids to draw parallels with their own family history and introduce curiosity about how their own families got to the United States. It will also make them think about their own lives, and what pieces of their heritage might have been passed on from previous generations. While not every family has a little shovel (too bad, I think - what a great detail!), there are other inheritances, like red hair and freckles, or an aptitude for music, or a long-held secret recipe.

All the Way to America  is one family's story, a variation on a theme that has occurred countless times in many places. And that, in a way, is its greatest strength - the quietly compelling thread of a narrative that makes one family unique. It's a journey you'll truly enjoy taking.

All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino, published by Alfred A. Knopf
Ages 5-12
Source: Library
Sample; "Friends from home helped each other in this new country. Michael found work in a bakery owned by a man who had also come from Sorrento. Michael polished his little shovel till it shined and used it to measure out flour and sugar."
Recommended

Bonus: Dan Yaccarino's post on why picture books are important

12 Days of Christmas Picture Books - Jingle the Christmas Clown

How can you not love Tomie dePaola? From Strega Nona to Big Anthony and beyond, his characters are among the most beloved in all of kidlit. And he's written a slew of great holiday books too, jam-packed with Christmas spirit along with adorably whimsical depictions of angels, Santas, and even the Nativity.

One of my favorite dePaola selections, though, is an older title (and a bit hard to get - except from the library!), Jingle the Christmas Clown. If you're looking for a title that focuses more on "giving" and less on "getting", this is a great choice. The only gifts that are given here are those of the heart, and what great gifts they are!

Like many dePaola titles, this one is set in the Italian countryside, and there's a sprinkling of Italian tradition and phrases throughout the text. Jingle is the littlest clown in Il Circo Piccolo (The Little Circus), and it's his job to care for the baby animals. Every year the circus plays a special Christmas Eve show in one particular village. But this year when the circus arrives, they discover that the village has fallen on hard times and there's almost no one left to perform for. The circus officials decide they need to move on to another spot for Christmas Eve, but the baby animals are too tired to keep traveling. Jingle is left behind to care for the animals until the circus performers come back through.

Jingle being Jingle, he can't help noticing that there isn't much Christmas spirit left in this lonely place. Jingle decides to take matters into his own hands, and bring Christmas to the villagers himself. The result is a more magical holiday than even Jingle could have imagined, and one that warms the hearts of young and old alike.

Sprout's a little young for this yet -- the story's just a touch too long to hold his attention, I think, and there's not a steam engine in the whole thing -- but I can't wait to share it with him. I'm betting he falls in love with Jingle just as quickly as his mama did.