Age 04-08. 5 stars. This story, told in the voice of a nine- or ten-year-old boy, tells of his weekly trip to his grandmother’s home… While the mood is somewhat idyllic, the story portrays a timeless relational scene where two family members care for one another in a stable, loving relationship. I especially appreciate the way the boy models cheerful manual work in service of someone else. A wonderful read

Age 04-08. 5 Stars. Nora and her grandfather, with the help of two horses, tap the maple trees on their Vermont farm and boil the sap into syrup… The relational bond between grandparents and grandchild is nearly tangible, and Nora’s participation in this exciting grown-up work is an excellent example of the privileges that come with responsibility. This is an excellent story for helping children understand how maple syrup is made.

Age 00-04. 5 Stars. The story is told with well-paced, pleasant repetition and a funny, dramatic climax with a visual joke at the end, as Baba inspects the mysteriously enlarged mitten. Nicki is a likable and energetic child with a nurturing, sensible adult caretaker, and the animals are rendered in their animal characters, with only a shade of human personality. But it is the gorgeous illustrations that really make this story… This story will surprise and delight children from a wide range of ages, from toddlers (there is a simplified board book version just for them) to readers.

Age 04-08. In this quiet celebration of familial love, an eight-year-old girl attends the Nutcracker ballet with her grandfather — the same outing he once took with her deceased mother… Bunting has a rare gift for capturing complex emotions and portraying them in a way that young children can understand through vicarious experience. In this wonderful story, she makes a profound statement about refusing to live in the past but instead dwelling in present relationships.

Age 04-08. 3 Stars. Nothing new ever happens at Grandfather’s house, and his favorite response to everything is “Could be worse!” One day he overhears his grandchildren wondering if anything interesting ever happens to him, and the next morning he greets them with a tremendously tall tale…. The story is well paced, nicely crafted and easy to read, but what really makes it fun is Stevenson’s whimsical, funny artwork. The gentle relationship between Grandfather and his grandchildren is positive and warm, and children will enjoy this flight of fancy, grounded in the context of a secure relationship. It’s not a classic, but certainly worth reading a few times.