GRANDPA GREEN by Lane Smith

This stunningly illustrated picture storybook takes us on an excursion through a garden with spectacular shaped topiary trees.  A young boy is walking through this garden, helping out his forgetful great-grandfather.  While he walks through the garden, the story of his grandpa's life is told through the shaped topiary trees.

The reader will instantly fall in love with the young boy and his Grandpa Green, as his memories are kept in the garden.  The reader learns throughout the story that Grandpa Green was not always a gardener, but a farm boy, had chicken pox, and a soldier.  Lane Smith, the author and illustrator, takes us on a voyage to explore aging and family memories.  The theme of this book is wonderful for parents and children as it speaks about the importance of keeping our family memories alive.

Lane Smith uses brush and waterproof drawing ink to depict the characters in this story.  The garden's foliage, which is a very large part of the story, was created with watercolor, oil paint, and digital paint.  The foliage is very realistic and almost seems to come off the pages.

Honors and Awards for Grandpa Green

America Library Association Notable Children's Books

Caldecott Award Honor Book 2012

GA Picture Story Book Award

New York Times Best Illustrated Book

Book Reviews

"Sketched with a finely lined fairy-tale wispiness and dominated by verdant green, the illustrations are not just creative but poignant especially after it is revealed that the boy is the great-great-grandson of the old man whose life is being described, and whose failing memories are contained in this garden."

         -Booklist 2010

"Smith works in an impressionistic range of emerald, moss, and seaweed hues, memorializing Grandpa Green's life events in meticulously pruned shrubs."

         -Publisher’s Weekly Review

"A clever premise, brilliant pacing, and whimsical illustrations offer a distinctive look at the life and artistic vision of one great-grandfather."

         -School Library Journal

"Though this book has lots of adult appeal, it will also be a wonderful bridge to exploring family history with the very young."

            -Kirkus Reviews

Connections

Classroom teachers can utilize this book in their writing lessons and have the students collect information about a special family member to write a memoir.  

Classroom teachers and librarians can use this book to teach connections between the illustrations and the text.  Have the students make connections to their life, for example, ask "Not everyone makes topiaries to keep memories, what are some ways that your family keeps your memories?"  

Smith, Lane. 2011. Granpa Green. Illustrated by Lane Smith. New York: Roaring Book Press.

 ISBN 9781596436077