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Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake) | EASY HEN | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake) | EASY HEN | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Celebrate summer and the wonderful connections between kids and grandparents with this gentle picture book from Caldecott medalist Kevin Henkes.
Bo was spending the summer with Grandpa. They walked and fished and made things together. They celebrated Christmas together--a very special summer Christmas.
But best of all, they talked and laughed and talked some more. And when they finally saw the shooting star at the end of the summer, there was no question the their wishes would be the same.
"Warm and gently told." --School Library Journal
Author Notes
Kevin Henkes was born in Racine, Wis. in 1960 and graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. One of four children in his family, Henkes grew up with aspirations of being an artist. As a junior in high school, one of Henkes's teachers awakened his interest in writing. Falling in love with both writing and drawing, Henkes realized that he could do both at the same time as a children's book author and illustrator.
At the age of 19, Henkes went to New York City to get his first book, All Alone, published. Since that time, he has written and illustrated dozens of picture books including Chrysanthemum, Protecting Marie, and A Weekend with Wendell. A recurring character in several of Henkes's books is Lily, an outrageous, yet delightful, individualist. Lily finds herself the center of attention in the books Chester's Way, Julius, the Baby of the World, and Lily's Purple Plastic Purse.
A Weekend With Wendell was named Children's Choice Book by the Children's Book Council in 1986. He recieved the Elizabeth Burr Award for Words of Stone in 1993. Owen was named a Caldicott Honor in 1994. The Year of Billy Miller was named a Newbery Honor book in 2014.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2 Due to family logistics, Bo and Grandpa see each other only at every other Christmas and during the summer, which they spend on Grandpa's farm in the country. They take walks, go fishing, observe life, and have special places where they sit and talk. Grandpa answers all of Bo's questions and gives every bit of life a personalized name: ``That's a praying mantis. . .but we can call him Ralph.'' When Bo realizes that they will be separated at this coming Christmas, the two celebrate a summer Christmas. Warmly and gently told, Grandpa and Bo is balanced by equally soft full-paged pencil drawings with yellow backgrounds throughout. Henkes' story builds slowly yet lovingly, paralleling perfectly the events of a very special summer for a young boy and his grandfather. Laura Bacher, St. Catherine's School, Richmond, Va. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Playing catch, exploring nature and re-creating a Christmas spent apart are just a few of the ways a boy and his grandfather enjoy their summer together in Grandpa & Bo (1986) by Kevin Henkes. Cream-colored pages and framed pencil drawings suggest the intimacy the pair shares. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
A young boy from the city spends the summer in the country with his grandfather. Grandpa and Bo make the most of their time together, playing ball, taking walks, telling stories, and just enjoying each other's company. In this welcome reissue, the leisurely text and homey pencil sketches convey the easy, comfortable relationship between Grandpa and Bo. From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Henkes' latest picture book is a welcome addition to his growing list of accomplishments. As in his earlier books, Henkes' soft pencil drawings accurately convey the story's mood of quiet simplicity. It was summer. This meant Bo would be staying with his Grandpa as he did every summer. It was the only time they saw each other, except for every other Christmas. They were together all day long--playing ball, gardening, cooking, whittling, taking long walks, and fishing under a shaded tree. Bo's favorite time was when Grandpa told stories about his childhood and taught Bo the names he gave the things around them. The nicest part of the whole summer was the special summer Christmas they shared, since this year they wouldn't be together for Christmas. The summer passed quickly. The corn grew as tall as Grandpa, and the nights became cooler. The night before Bo was to leave, he and Grandpa each made a wish on a shooting star--and without a word they knew they had wished for the very same thing. As is Henkes' style, he takes an ordinary childhood memory and gently textures it with a number of touching details to demonstrate how special the memory is, e.g., the relationship between this boy and his grandfather. However, the understated nature of the illustrations and the story makes this a picture book that may have more appeal to reminiscing adults than to young children. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.