ONE, TWO, GRANDPA LOVES YOU

A child goes on an overnight camping trip with Grandpa.

Verse inspired by the nursery rhyme “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” describes this brown-skinned grandfather and grandchild’s outing. “One, two, / Grandpa loves you.” Grandpa arrives to pick up the child, and the child’s parents—one light-skinned, one brown-skinned—help load up the car and wave goodbye. Once Grandpa and the little one arrive at their destination, the pair spend an action-packed day together (“Three, four, / hike, explore”) before roasting marshmallows and falling asleep (“Nine, ten, / all snuggled in”). The next morning, they cook breakfast and skip stones, then return home, excited to do it again soon (“Nine, ten / can we go again?”). The simple, spare text is brought to life by Yaccarino’s visuals. From true and tender embraces to sweeping mountainscapes, the illustrations establish a sense of place and the bond between Grandpa and grandchild. The images are full of bold colors, and thick black outlines carve out features and details. One standout illustration plays with perspective, showing the travel buddies stuck in traffic as the rest of the cars fade into a single color, the two of them the most important image on the page. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Like a scrapbook of sweet memories with a beloved grandparent.