Grammy Lamby and the Secret Handshake

PreS-K–The artwork is the strength of this selection. Created with acrylics in soft earth tones, the images of a young lamb and his family at home and about town with a bevy of other critters are absolutely adorable. The story does not have the same intense appeal. Larry thinks Grammy Lamby is annoying and rejects her gentle efforts to bond with him via a "secret handshake" when she visits. She appears to be a traditional grandmother, drinking tea and sewing, but she springs into action after a storm and helps repair the roof of her family’s home, assists with rebuilding a school and church, and sets up her sewing machine in the town square to make items for those in need. This all sounds exciting, but the text lacks sufficient development to avoid an odd, albeit unintended, implication. It’s only after Grammy has performed these feats that Larry warms up to her, so the takeaway seems to be that it requires extraordinary measures to gain another’s affection and admiration (when everyday demonstrations of love should be enough). The jacket synopsis touts the story as an example of the time it takes for “little ones to fall in love.” The illustrations are lovely; the story is a misfire.