Grandma Summer (Picture Puffins) - Softcover

Jessup, Harley

4

55 ratings by Goodreads

9780140568332: Grandma Summer (Picture Puffins)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140568336 ISBN 13: 9780140568332

Publisher: Puffin, 2001

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On a visit with Grandma to the old family summer house at the shore, Ben finds both the beach and the house filled with history and treasures waiting to be discovered. Reprint.

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From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2-Ben's spirited Grandma takes him for his first visit to the family summerhouse on the Oregon coast. There are lots of new things for him to get used to-an old iron stove, a creaky house, a spooky garage, and electricity that goes off during a storm. But this grandmother knows how to get her wary grandson involved in the fun of being by the ocean. Early in the morning after a storm, she wakes him to scour the beach for whatever has been washed up. There are lots of interesting shells and wildlife to see, but Ben is looking for a special treasure. After a diligent search, he finds it-a green glass float just like the one he discovered in the garage. Grandma says it came from a Japanese fishing net and traveled over 4000 miles to reach this spot. Even though they haven't eaten breakfast, she suggests ice-cream cones to celebrate. Ben is surely in for an unusual summer and it looks like he'll love it. The large, bright watercolor illustrations are so filled with the light and colors of the seaside that one can almost smell and hear the ocean. Some of the shells and vegetation that Ben finds are helpfully labeled for those new to beachcombing. A satisfying story.
Virginia Golodetz, Children's Literature New England, Burlington, VT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Arriving for a vacation at a well-seasoned cottage on the Oregon shore, Ben is uneasy about being in Grandma's custody. Grandma lights a fire inside an old stove ("That's not safe, Grandma") and leads a reluctant Ben into the surf ("No, I don't want to float across the ocean to Japan"). Children may not want to identify with the stodgy Ben, but Jessup (What's Alice Up To?) paints an affectionate, even intriguing portrait of redheaded Grandma. She is slightly eccentric in appearance (she favors contrasting prints and purple eye shadow), but is self-contained and confident, and kids will want to know what she will do next. Acting as a catalyst ("The beach! We've been here all morning and we haven't been to the beach yet!"), she keeps the events moving at a bracing clip. Sketchy art keeps pace with the high energy of the narrative, and the settings, especially the ramshackle cottage, are inviting. A skillful integration of full-scale illustrations and dropped-in vignettes heightens the narrative tension. With just a splash of sentiment, this is refreshing summer fare. Ages 3-8. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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