One, Two, Grandma Loves You

PreS-Gr 3–Yaccarino pares back his style to retro-inspired shapes against flat backgrounds with the palette of a 1950s diner menu, which amplifies Becker’s spare storytelling to the level of a pure, cadenced classic: “One, two, Grandma loves you. Three, four, visit more.” A very modern, bespectacled grandmother, who is white with brown hair, is counting down the days till her grandchild arrives for a visit. This little girl is brown with black hair, her mother is white, and her father has brown skin. In their separate environs, everyone plans and anticipates the big moment, marking days off on the calendar. “Five, six, precious pics. Seven, eight, mark the date.” The visit is everything each of them hoped for: “One, two, Grandma loves you. Three, four, best toy store. Five, six, measure and mix. Seven, eight, stay up late.” Why does it ever have to end? The details in the illustrations will have children poring over the pages, where the clues to good times past and present add up to a generous look at the special bonds of an extended family.