About This Book:
A warm story of the bond between young and old that evokes the wild, windswept banks of Newfoundland—and the joys of a traditional way of life.
In a picture book as cozy as wool socks and as sweeping as a lighthouse beam, a little girl takes a ferry to an island to spend time with her Poppy. After fresh-baked bread for breakfast, the two tidy up, garden, and set out to explore together. They pass docks and green hills specked with puffins, counting their favorite things along the way: masts, animal tracks, silvery waves. At the end of each day, they snuggle on Poppy’s worn velvet armchair to read by lantern light. When it’s time to travel home, the little girl begins counting the days until she and Poppy will be together again. A patchwork of exquisitely patterned and textured art evokes a traditional quilt in this ode to coastal Canada and to the days spent with an attentive, caring older person.
*Review Contributed by Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*
A Visit with Grandfather
The illustrations echo the rough hewn style of life in Poppy’s wind swept home, with shades of tan, brown highlighted by woodsy greens and warm reds. There are puffins, flowers, trees, and a repeated quilt motif that adds to the cozy feeling of the book. The Newfoundland landscape is well represented, and I am intrigued enough that I would like to taste some cloudberries, but may pass on hunting down salt beef and pease pudding!
My own children were enthralled by Werner’s 1988 The Good Old Days, about kitten siblings who go to spend time with their grandparents, even though they saw their own grandparents frequently. There is something safe adventurous about living in someone else’s home and experiencing their life for a time, but when that person is a beloved grandparent, there is a feeling of safety as well. Reading these books is also a good way to prepare young visitors for an upcoming experience.
Along with Garland’s Grandpa’s Tractor, Reagan’s How to Babysit a Grandpa, Larson’s The Bagel King, and The Hello Goodbye Window by Norton and Raschka, Poppy’s House is a delightful visit to a caring grandfather that offers a look into daily life in what will be an exotic location for many young readers.
