Sometimes it's Grandmas and Grandpas: Not Mommies and Daddies - Hardcover

Gayle Byrne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0789210282 ISBN 13: 9780789210289

Publisher: Abbeville Kids, 2021

Synopsis

Written from a child’s point of view, this touching picture book centers around a nontraditional family of grandparents raising their grandchild.

Sometimes It’s Grandmas and Grandpas shares a child’s experience living with and being cared for by grandparents through the eyes of a cheerful and delightful little girl. Uplifting watercolor illustrations give extra warmth to this caring and loving story, to which a growing number of children can identify over 4.5 million children in the United States are primarily cared for by a grandparent.

Poignant moments expressing the child’s curiosity and questions give way to comforting and playful exchanges at home with Nonnie and Poppy. Spending the day with this grandparent led family, we see that it’s not always Mommies or Daddies that care for children, and that’s okay!

Sometimes It’s Grandmas and Grandpas is the winner of the 2012 Book Award for Best Children’s Literature on Aging in the primary reader category from the The K-12 Committee of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE). It provides a great resource for children who seek reassurance about their particular experience. This unique book will appeal to any grandparent raising or providing long term care for a grandchild, as well as any teacher who wants to educate children about nontraditional families. Sometimes It’s Grandmas and Grandpas sensitively addresses a topic that has been nearly absent in the children’s book market, until now.

About this title

Review:

"This is a wonderful story, with the right tone and message. It leaves one with a sense of calm, warmth and security, which is something many grandchildren desire." — Deborah M. Whitley, Director, National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

"A warm and comforting children's book about grandfamilies." — Grandparents(dot)com, American Grandparents Association

"With beautiful illustrations and simple, yet warm and sincere, text... this book is a welcome addition to children's literature addressing diversity in family structure..." — ACEI Journal (Association for Childhood Education International)

"This lovely story and attractive illustrations is a great way to introduce the concept of a different family to young readers. It's the perfect addition to any public or school library collection." — Liz Duffy, Baker + Taylor CATS Sales Coordinator

"Strikes a warm, happy note..." — Booklist

"A great way to introduce children to other family structures." — New Haven Register

"Haverfield's watercolors give a softness to the illustrations, perfectly reflecting the tone of the story itself." — The Hartford Courant

"A delightful children's book...warm and comforting." — Together (a Generations United magazine)

"[This] book will likely fill a gap in many collections." — School Library Journal

"Byrne's book will be a favorite of children in grandparent custody and can be a valuable learning tool for other children as well...Books celebrating this particular type of happy family are in short supply." — About(dot)com

About the Author:

Gayle Byrne can usually be found reading with little ones at Killingworth Library, where she has been the Children’s Librarian for ten years, or playing in the backyard with her granddaughter and their dog, Buddy. An award-winning educator, she previously taught English and Child Development. Byrne is an active member of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and lives happily with her granddaughter, Jasmine, and Jazzy’s Poppy in Connecticut.

Mary Haverfield has been illustrating children’s books for more than twenty years. Haverfield studied art at the University of Houston, Texas, and The Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. She has illustrated more than ten picture books for children, including Harriett the Homeless Raccoon. She lives in Dallas with her husband, Pat.

About this edition

• Publisher: Abbeville Kids
• Publication date: 2021
• ISBN 10: 0789210282
• ISBN 13: 9780789210289
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Mary Haverfield