GRANDMA MABLE, ARE YOU ABLE?

A student learns a surprising lesson about his African American grandmother’s capabilities in this debut children’s book.

Jacob, the young African American narrator of this tale, isn’t as excited as his classmates about an upcoming Family Exercise Day. His only relative is his Grandma Mable, who has white hair, sore knees, and sometimes walks with the help of a cane. Jacob is doubtful she can participate, but his grandmother says she’ll do her best. On the big day, Jacob, Grandma, and their dog, Friendly, head to the park and take on a series of challenges. For each one, Jacob asks “Grandma Mable, are you able?” The energetic activities include running, skateboarding, and kicking a ball. In every case, Grandma shows herself to be a real contender; she even performs a cartwheel. In fact, she outdoes injury- and accident-prone Jacob, who is more used to playing video games than exercising. Grandma explains that she’s used to hard work and has stayed fit so she can be strong for Jacob. She praises his efforts, and the two plan to exercise weekly. In her story, Wright offers an amusing, turn-the-tables scenario and a warm family relationship that parentless kids who live with relatives will likely appreciate. That said, Grandma’s sudden metamorphosis from a cane-using elderly woman into a spry, cartwheeling exercise enthusiast doesn’t make much sense. The book’s prose poem style is also rather odd since the rhyme has no regular scheme or meter and doesn’t break into lines or stanzas, as in “The day wasn’t done. We had to finish even in the hot sun.” The images by Blueberry Illustrations have a flat, generic quality with little detail, although they do depict a racially diverse set of characters.

While it encourages family exercise, this tale presents a puzzling transformation.