REMEMBERING GRANDPA

A bit of a departure for Krishnaswami, who here gently tells the tale of losing a grandparent, using anthropomorphized bunnies as her subjects. Little Daysha’s grandmother is having difficulty overcoming the sadness of her loss. Daysha doesn’t equate the feeling of sadness when remembering her beloved grandfather so she goes off to find a cure for the grieving widow. She goes through nature, finding odds and ends that remind her of Grandpa; she gathers them all and shows them to her Grandma. They both have a good, cleansing cry and things seem better for both generations. Johnson is a good match, having illustrated many picture books about the elderly. He uses unusual perspectives to show actions, which invite the viewer to become part of the story. His gauzy oil paintings have areas with great detail, while other parts of the page feature swathes of color. While there is nothing unique here, the treatment is particularly lovely and will be a welcome addition to the shelves of titles on this topic. (Picture book. 4-7)