Grand. (World Vision Early Readers). Marla Stewart Konrad. Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, 2010. 24 pp., hardcover, $14.99. ISBN 978-0-88776-997-9. Subject Headings: Grandparents-Juvenile literature. Grandparent and child-Juvenile literature. Preschool-kindergarten / Ages 3-5. Review by Barb Taylor. ****/4

“Grand” is a lovely word that is hardly used anymore to describe wonderful events or people. This picture book, featuring photographs of children around the world interacting with their grandparents, is definitely a “grand” book.

     “Grandma and Grandpa love me…And that’s really grand!” is the opening statement in Grand, a book sponsored by World Vision and filled with large colour photographs of children engaged in telling jokes, playing chess, gardening and sharing quiet moments with their beloved grandparents.


     The text is very simple, delineating the common element on each page of photographs. For example the text on one page, “Sometimes we like to the chores together,” features four photographs. A Kenyan child helps his grandmother with laundry, a Mongolian child helps his grandmother cut wood with a cross-saw, a Zambian child helps his mother prepare a meal, and a Cambodian child picks onions with her grandmother.


     World Vision has employed photographers worldwide to portray the special bonds children have with their grandparents. This book also stresses the important role of grandparents in the family.


     Grand is a book that children will enjoy sharing with their grandparents. This is an excellent book for the classroom, school or public library. Grand is a grand resource for Early childhood programs that include family themes.


     I noticed on the title page a note that all of the royalties from the sale of the book go to support World Vision’s work with children –that, too, is grand.

Highly Recommended.

A teacher, Barb Taylor is presently an MLIS student at the University of Western Ontario in London, ON.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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