We speak different languages, Grandpa and I,
but how we laugh and laugh and laugh.
Grandpa is finally here to visit! He's brought a suitcase smelling of Persian spices, walnuts picked from his trees at home, and sparkly saffron to make yellow rice. And Grandpa and granddaughter have so much they want to see and do together. She shows him all her favorite things: the mountaintops, the tunnel she discovered, and the horse in the field. If only Grandpa could stay longer, then he could see the spring--but when time together is limited, it feels all the sweeter and more special. In a touching follow-up to Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree, Tanya Rosie and Chuck Groenink deliver a tenderly told and beautifully illustrated picture book about the magical bonds between families, even those spread out across the world.
Chuck Groenink is the illustrator of more than a dozen picture books, including Hungry Jim by Laurel Snyder, The Library Book by Tom Chapin and Michael Mark, and William's Winter Nap by Linda Ashman. When not drawing pictures for books, he likes to read, bake bread, or go hiking, and he wishes he could play the banjo. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Chuck Groenink now lives in Kinderhook, New York. Find him on Twitter @ChuckGroenink and Instagram @c.groenink.
Sound bites and photos from the picture book department at Walker. https://t.co/3TIQSSMPn8… T&Cs here: https://t.co/HOecjQwSno
Grandpa is Here ❤️ by @tanya_rosie and @ChuckGroenink is a book for everyone. A heartwarming tale celebrating time together as a family, of sharing our worlds with each other, and savouring each moment ✨ Out today! #publicationday https://t.co/umfpr96GTO
Similar in tone to Rosie and Groenink's Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree (2022), this understated story focuses on another steadfast relationship between a child and a beloved family member. . . [the verse text] reads aloud beautifully, and the mixed-media illustrations portray the characters and landscape with becoming warmth and grace. A quiet, captivating picture book.
--Booklist
Groenick's colored pencil art gives a warm glimpse of Iranian culture. . . The double-page spreads offer depth to the grandfather-granddaughter relationship, with text curving around the hills emphasizing their joy and excitement. . . The little girl's point of view gives a touching and lyrical perspective as she addresses how "Grandpa is like snow--I never want him to go, never want his magic to leave," serving as a kind reminder to cherish family members when they visit.
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books