This enchanting story about a city boy who goes to visit Grandad on the farm teaches children about the concept of “home,” showing that while each person’s (or animal’s) home might be different, each is special and precious to its inhabitants. Harry loves the hustle and bustle of his native city—he loves the fast pace, the fire engines, the escalators and elevators, and even the noise that characterizes urban life. Grandad, on the other hand, loves his quiet farm nestled in the beautiful countryside, where his beloved animals, trees, and flowers surround him. On Harry’s birthday, Grandad gives Harry a very special present—a ticket to come visit him. This will be Harry’s first trip to the farm and his first time away from his mother. After an exciting journey on a bus, train, boat, another bus, and finally a taxi (the double-page spread charmingly depicts Harry and Grandad traversing a wide variety of terrains), they arrive at Grandad’s home. But in the night, Harry feels homesick and wants to go home. He misses the bright lights and can’t get used to the quiet that his grandfather loves. Luckily, Grandad knows just the trick—he gives Harry a baby lamb to take care of for the week. After his one bout of homesickness, Harry soon adores the farm and loves seeing the animals in their own homes—the pigsty, henhouse, dovecote, etc. Underlying Harry’s story, there is also a lesson of tolerance—neither Harry’s city home nor Grandad’s country home is better—everyone is entitled to his own preference, but must respect the feelings of others. While Harry’s homesickness is glossed over too quickly (had it been explored more deeply, this would have been an extremely useful book to accompany children on trips to their grandparents), Harry’s Home is a delightful book filled with lovely watercolor illustrations in vivid, yet soft colors with especially beautiful hues of blues and purples. Harry and Grandad are an irresistible duo. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: April 6, 2000
ISBN: 0-374-32870-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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