Grandpa's Clock - Hardcover

Gilmore, Rachna

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1551433338 ISBN 13: 9781551433332

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers, 2006

Synopsis

"Slow and steady," that's how you make a grandfather clock.

Grandpa should know. He and Cayley have made nineteen clocks together. Now they are making Cayley's very own, a Lord Nelson. Then, one night, Cayley awakes to the sound of a siren. Grandpa is gone. Cayley is scared by what she sees when she is allowed to visit him in the hospital. But scared or not, she knows what Grandpa needs, and she tells him, "Slow and steady" as he heals. The Lord Nelson clock waits, patiently, to be finished.

About this title

About the Authors

Rachna Gilmore is the Governor General’s Award-winning author of over twenty bestselling children’s books, which have won multiple honors and awards. Her books are sold internationally and have been translated into over a dozen languages. For more information, visit www.rachnagilmore.blogspot.com.

Amy Meissner currently lives and works in Anchorage, Alaska. Her two, bad orange cats keep her company in the studio all day long where she paints, draws, writes, cuts fabric and moves cats off the things they aren't supposed to sleep on. Creating art for children's books is Amy's favorite job, but she also illustrates for posters and articles. She recently completed an MFA in Creative Writing and has undergraduate degrees in both Art and Textiles.

From the Inside Flap

Clock-making, aging, illness

Reviews

Grade 2-4–A gentle, touching picture book about the relationship between a grandfather and grandchild. When Cayley was having nightmares, her grandpa made her a special clock that would tick comfortingly and help her get to sleep. Now he has promised to make her a Lord Nelson clock, and she is waiting patiently for it to be finished. But before he can complete it, he suffers a heart attack. Children will readily grasp the metaphor of clock and heart and draw the connection between the ticking of Grandpa's timepieces and the beating of his ailing heart. Just as it takes time and patience to make Cayley's clock, it will also take time and patience for Grandfather to heal. Gilmore has created a caring family with credible characters and provides Cayley with a realistic voice to express her concerns and feelings. The soft, realistic watercolor illustrations are warm and inviting. The concern of the whole family for their aging relative is palpable, particularly in the hospital scene where they wait anxiously at his bedside. Gilmore tackles a sad reality, but also gives hope and illuminates the value of intergenerational relationships and their ability to enrich the lives of both young and old. This well-crafted story would strengthen any collection.–Carol L. MacKay, Forestburg School Library, Alberta, Canada
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Grandpa’s saw sings me awake. I tumble out of bed and hurry downstairs, rubbing sleep from my eyes.

Grandpa’s white hair glistens as he bends over the table-saw, feeding in an oakboard. He turns the saw off and pushes the safety goggles onto his forehead.

“You started without me,” I wail.

“Calm your nerves, Cayley,” Grandpa chuckles. “Your clock won’t be done in a day.”

I grin. Mine. This one’s all mine. When Grandpa finished the grandfather clock for Josie’s wedding, he said it was my turn.

Edition details

• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1551433338
• ISBN 13: 9781551433332
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Meissner Amy
• Number of pages: 32