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Me with You
(Written by Kristy Dempsey and illustrated by Christopher Denise)
Scholastic (2009) ISBN:978-0-545-34046-5
From first sight of the cover, I loved this book. I loved the look of the adult bear and the image of him sitting beside a daintily-dressed-in-pink little girl, their " twig and string " fishing poles in hand - exactly the kind my father fashioned for me when I was a little girl fishing smelts in the brook with him and my mother! In hindsight, after reading the beautiful poem, I especially liked the "with" in the title for the emphasis it places on the combination of the two characters acting in tandem.
You can't judge a book by its cover, but the cover can be an indication, and the book does not disappoint.
Large format two-page-spread illustrations suit the massive size of the grandfather bear. However, the softness of colour and the warmth of the facial expressions render a gentleness and kindliness that bolder tones could not impart. There's also some humour tucked in as seen when the little girl in all innocence points the hose right at her grandfather as they are about to water the yard. As they make their way together through their very fun, and sometimes troublesome, everyday life, we feel the bond of their relationship in the beautiful artwork, and also in the author's words. Her short and simple poem delightfully tells this story of the relationship so movingly depicted by Denise. Interestingly, although this is a wonderful grandfather story, it could apply to other special relationships - the poem does not limit by defining the subjects! Anyone who's ever been that child special to an adult, or who has been that special adult to a child, will enjoy the romp through the pages of this very special book.
P.S. Christopher Denise has teamed up with highly respected children's author, Rosemary Wells, for another wonderful grandfather story - Following Grandfather.