cbr15bingo South America: The grandmother is originally from the Trindade and Tobago area.
I wrote in a review a while back that I have read several grandparents books. Some were sweet and some serious, but all were really delightful. And with Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush, Patrice Lawrence wrote a picture book that was both sweet and serious.
When a young girl, Ava, needs to find a person she admires to dress up for school, she is having trouble choosing. And when she confesses this to her grandmother, she is given names of people known and unknown. Such as Winifred Atwell and Rosa Parks. Yet, none are exactly right (her friends are doing Rosa Parks, and she is not really familiar with Atwell, even if her and the grandmothers
stories are similar and she was brave that does not mean she admires her). But when her grandmother tells Ava of the journey she took to come to Engliand, detailing the ups and downs; her loneliness, and finally the friends and husband she made and married. Ava realizes she might have the answer after all. It boils down to a sweet story of immigration, the generations coming together, and what real gold is. The illustrations are delightful. There were a few people I was unfamiliar with, but others I knew. The mix was a nice addition to black and womens history.
Ava and her grandmother’s story is illustrated by lovely, rich illustrations by Camilla Sucre. They are expressive, and in some ways their own character, but are a strong supporter of the text. They are both soft and sturdy, but show the family dynamic of grandmother and granddaughter.
I read via an online reader copy, so I did not have any of the extras/audio, etc. And it is currently available to give to your older (about five and up) child, grandchild, library or classroom.
