NOW ONE FOOT, NOW THE OTHER

Bobby was named after his best friend, his grandfather, Bob."" Grandfather determines that Bobby will call him Bob (""he'll be three years old before he can say Grandpa""), and ""Bob"" is the first word Bobby says. De Paola tells how Bob helps Bobby learn to walk--""Now one foot, now the other""--and how, when Bobby is five, grandfather tells him the ""story"" of those times. The two also build block towers together, and grandfather always sneezes and knocks down the tower when the last block, with the elephant on it, is added. Then grandfather has a stroke, and comes home speechless and paralyzed months later. Only Bobby notices his small signs of responsiveness--a slight sneeze for the elephant block is one--but eventually grandfather does improve to the point where Bobby helps him walk (""now one foot, now the other"") and, later on, at Bob's request, tells him the story about it. Not the first children's story about such a role reversal, but it conveys some of the same touching images and genuine fondness as de Paola's companion book, Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs.