Banjo Granny
By Sarah Martin Busse; Barry Root (Illustrator); Jacqueline Briggs Martin
(Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Hardcover, 9780618336036, 32pp.)
Publication Date: November 2006
Categories: Family - Multigenerational, Family - New Baby, Humorous Stories
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Granny’s heart is set to see her new grandbaby, but how can she ford a fast river, climb a steep mountain, and cross a wide desert?
With a dose of determination, a well-stocked banjo case, and the charm of a simple bluegrass song—that’s how!
Part tall tale, part lullaby, this rhythmic story, illustrated with warm pastoral paintings, celebrates the meeting of grandmothers and grandbabies everywhere.
Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of Snowflake Bentley, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal, and The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat Called Fish, an ALA Notable Book, a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book, Riverbank Review Finalist, Notable Social Studies Trade book and winner of The Golden Kite Award for Illustration. She grew up on a farm in Maine much like the one in this story. She lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
It is easy to see the influence of Mary Poppins in Root's earth-toned illustrations, which perfectly capture the feisty bluegrass grandma and her rustic woodsy cabin. Includes music, chords, and lyrics to "Owen's Song" and a short note on the beginnings of bluegrass...Kids...will find her modes of transportation delightful and inspirational.
Kirkus Reviews
Part lullaby and part tall tale, this warm picture book is both cozy and exciting...The bright, sunny art connects the quiet inside scenes with the wild outdoor ones, and the rhythmic text is exactly right for the lapsit crowd, who will chant and act out the story again and again.
Booklist, ALA
With its heartwarming message and visuals, this is a celebration of the bond between grandparent and child.
Publishers Weekly, Starred
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