SUPERGRAN!

With chaos looming, a cheerful, capable grandmother steps into the breach!

Sturdy of build, lilac-silver of hair, wielding a plunger with aplomb, Supergran is here to save the day. And the day is disastrous: Mom is late for work, Dad’s down with flu, sister and brother are each plagued by problems, the house is a major mess. But Gran quickly pops off her pearls and glasses, transforming into the superhero she is, and takes to the air. Teaming up with her grandkids, who are also kitted out with capes and uniforms, she “zaps a problem with a plan,” flying nimbly to conquer an overflowing toilet, dirty laundry, and loose pets big (Saint Bernard) and small (hamsters) until everyone is clean and fed. At last Mom is home and Dad is up, the kids are ready for bed, and every item on the to-do list is checked off. Gran lifts off into the sunset, unruffled and smiling. Cartoonish illustrations make the most of the superhero-comic style, with bright, flat colors and lots of foreground action. Spotting the hiding hamsters gives eagle-eyed readers a mild challenge on several pages. Everything, from the bouncy rhymes to the ebullient pictures, is energetically positive, concluding with solid suggestions for deepening connections with one’s gran or gran stand-in. Supergran and Dad are light-skinned, while Mom and the kids are brown-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A celebration of family resilience and the alliance of grands and kids.