When a child’s beloved grandfather comes from Iran for a visit, she can’t wait to show him all her favorite things in this story full of warmth and tender detail. 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.
On sale: August 29, 2023
Age: 3-7 years
Grade: Preschool - 2
Page count: 40 Pages
ISBN: 9781536231267
Tanya Rosie studied English literature in Canada and England and now works in children’s publishing.
Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree, illustrated by Chuck Groenink, was her debut picture book. She grew up near London in a household filled with Iranian traditions (from her mum) and a few Scottish ones, too (from her dad). In all her writing, she likes to capture something of the way it was being a child. Tanya Rosie now lives in St. Albans, England. Find her on Twitter @tanya_rosie.
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.
This tender tale in verse is a touching portrayal of the complex reality of having family members who live far away. . . the gorgeously lit illustrations and lyrical, rhyming text make for a gentle, fulfilling read
. . . A sweet, contemplative ode to long-distance familial relationships.
—Kirkus Reviews
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
