Eleanor, Arthur, and Claire

Engel, Diana

ISBN 10: 0027334627 ISBN 13: 9780027334623

Publisher: Atheneum, 1992

Claire loves to spend her summers in the country with her grandparents, but the death of her beloved grandfather changes the lives of her entire family, in a sensitive look at death, grief, mourning, and memory.

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From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- A little mouse, Claire, spends happy summers with her grandparents, Eleanor and Arthur, basking in their creative activities and mutual affection. Then one autumn, Arthur dies. Eleanor comes to live with Claire's family but keeps her house in the country. When summer comes, she asks her granddaughter to accompany her home. The elderly mouse tries hard, but becomes increasingly despondent until Claire discovers the perfect way to cheer her. This is a warm and sympathetic portrait of intergenerational family relationships and the loss of a loved one. Arthur's death and funeral are handled realistically without undue emotion. The pen-and-ink illustrations with pale, pastel watercolor washes contribute much to the mood of the story and give personality to the characters. A fine addition for general readers as well as for those dealing with the loss of a family member. --Valerie F. Patterson, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

What to do when a cozy threesome becomes a lonesome twosome? That's the dilemma presented in this forthright picture book about death and the grieving process. For a young mouse named Claire, summers at her grandparents' country house are idyllic. But when Grandpa dies one autumn, an unshakable gloom descends on Grandma, an artist. Though she and Claire return to the country house the following summer, sadness reigns until Claire finally coaxes her grandmother back into her studio, where she picks up the threads of her creative life. Although Engel's muted watercolors occasionally err on the side of sentimentality, and the text lacks subtlety, young readers will no doubt find the matter-of-fact treatment of this emotional subject empowering. They will likewise be affected by Claire's example of how love and encouragement can help someone overcome grief. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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