Grandad's Tree

Title: Grandad's Tree
Compiled by: Jill Bennett

Illustrator: Julia Cairns

Publisher and date of Publication: Barefoot Books, 2003

Genre: Poetry, Picture Book
Age Range: K-2nd Grade

Summary: This is a picture book of poetry for young children about different families. The poems are written by different authors but compiled by Jill Bennett. Most, if not all, of the poems rhyme. The poems talk about what a family is; they're about moms, dads, grandparents, sisters, and hobbies that families do together.

Response: I really enjoyed these poems for younger elementary students. The illustrations are bright but look sort of like children drew them. The shapes are blunt and jagged but I still enjoy them. I like that the poems rhyme and I think children will like that too. I remember that when I was young, poems that didn't rhyme were scary. I still enjoy poems that rhyme better. I think that this book will show children that families can come in any shape or size. The way families are now, children grow up in all sorts of situations and I think that children will feel more comfortable about their family after listening to some of these poems. They may also hear a poem, and think "hey, my mom/dad does that!"

Teaching Connections: I think this collection of poems would be wonderful to read to a k-2 classroom and talk about the different types of families. Lower elementary social studies study families and this would be a great way to intergrate the two subjects. Middle to upper elementary students may also write a poem about their family.