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THANK YOU, GRANDPA

Name: THANK YOU, GRANDPA
Author: Lynn Plourde
ISBN: 0-525-46992-3

by Lynn Plourde & illustrated by Jason Cockcroft ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2003

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Soft-focus illustrations in greens and blues, warmed by touches of orange and gold, and set off by warm orange end-papers set the mood for the brief text that tells the story of a young girl and her beloved grandfather. As she moves from toddler to girlhood, grandfather grows older until inevitably, “one day the girl walked alone.” On their walks he has taught her to say, “Thank you and good-bye,” to the dead grasshopper and the butterfly. Grandfather thanks the fireflies for “brightening our journey into the night.” Soon he cannot walk without assistance, and his granddaughter supports him, just as he helped her walk in babyhood. In the end, alone, the girl blows on a dandelion and says, “Grandpa, I love you and I’ll miss you. But I will never forget you. Thank you, and good-bye.” The images of nature are beautiful, and the joy the grandfather and girl feel at being together is evident in their faces. Though rather sweet, this will provide comfort in times of loss with its reassurance that death is part of the natural cycle of life. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2003

ISBN: 0-525-46992-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2003

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BIONIC BOY
by Lynn Plourde

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO TALK MONSTER
by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Mike Lowery

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BOY WHOSE FACE FROZE LIKE THAT
by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Russ Cox

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THE PUMPKIN THIEF

From the Leaf Thief series

by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.

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Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.

Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: July 28, 2026

ISBN: 9781464268076

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SUN THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SNOW THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BISON AND THE BUTTERFLY
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff

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BECAUSE YOUR DADDY LOVES YOU

by Andrew Clements & illustrated by R.W. Alley ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2005

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Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)