MY GRANDMA IS COMING TO TOWN

This joyous story impressively invokes a toddler’s love for his distant Grandma. They have a very special relationship carried out primarily by phone. When the little narrator was a baby, he says, his Grandma came to visit and taught him the pat-a-cake rhyme. Then he could only say “Patta patta, rolla rolla.” Now they have a cherished ritual: “when Grandma calls on the phone, she still says, ‘Patta patta.’ ‘Rolla rolla,’ I say.” He points out that though grandma lives too far away to give him real kisses and hugs, “ . . . she puts lots of X kisses and O hugs in her letters.” So when Grandma writes that she is coming for a visit, he can hardly wait. When the day finally arrives, he is surprised to find that it feels so strange. She looks like grandma, but different, and though she offers a “Patta patta,” she sounds just a little wrong and too shy of her, he can’t bring himself to respond. The boy soon figures out what he needs to smooth the transition and with grandma sitting right next to him, he pretends to call her on the phone. It isn’t long before they are thoroughly enjoying the visit, this time with real hugs and kisses. For so many children whose favorite family members live far away, Hines (Whistling, below, etc.) handles this issue with style, never forgetting to give kids credit for solving problems. (Picture book. 2-4)