ROSA AND HER SINGING GRANDFATHER

by Leon Rosselson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 7, 1996

In 12 short stories, Rosselson (Where's My Mom?, 1994, etc.) paints an affectionate and sweetly comic picture of a special relationship. Rosa, seven or eight, lives with her busy, often preoccupied, single mother. She's never seen her father, but she does have Grandad, who picks her up from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Sundays, she takes him to the park so that her mother won't be bothered by ""Rosa's questions and Grandfather's singing."" Rosa does ask a lot of questions, and Grandad is apt to burst into song at embarrassing moments, but the two of them are in perfect sympathy. Sewall's black-and-white illustrations capture all the highlights. The broad humor of some of the stories (e.g., ""A Duet for Parrot and Grandad"") contrasts with more serious offerings, particularly the last two pieces, in which Rosa comes to terms with the absence of her father. The intensity of feeling in these two tales is surprising but serves to deepen the collection and make the relationship between Rosa and her grandfather all the more poignant.

Pub Date: May 7, 1996

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 73

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1996

Categories: CHILDREN'S