  | Treasure box Author: Keane, David | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Before he becomes very sick, Grandpa enjoys joining his granddaughter in her favorite activity, searching for things to add to her secret treasure box, including a broken robin's egg, a rusty spring, and a snakeskin that makes Grandpa squirm and make funny faces.
| Illustrator: | Jomepour Bell, Rahele |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (00/12/21)
Booklist (12/15/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 12/15/2021 A young girl with long dark hair and light-brown skin looks forward to her grandparents’ visit. After she waits for the grown-ups to drink tea and talk, fair-complexioned Grandpa joins the girl to examine the contents of their special treasure box. Carefully studying each find with his magnifying glass, Grandpa delights the child with his funny reactions. The two take a walk together, looking for more treasure, such as a rusty spring, a marble, or a doll’s lost arm. When Grandpa gets sick and eventually dies, each scene realistically captures the child’s experience. Keeping her view in mind, the text describes the machines at the hospital and the snacks she cannot eat at the memorial service. Later, Grammy delivers a gift to the girl: Grandpa’s watch, cap, and magnifying glass. Together, those two walk and treasure hunt, recalling memories of Grandpa’s love. Scanned handmade textures, collaged digitally, give the art a distinctive quality that amplifies the beauty of found objects and highlights the warmth between the girl and her grandparents. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 12/01/2021 K-Gr 3—This touching story depicts a young girl's coming to terms with her sadness at the loss of her beloved grandfather as she discovers her memories of him are treasures of the heart. Unfolding in a first-person narrative are the joyful moments the girl shares with her grandfather as they hunt for small gifts of nature; Keane takes care to show readers that the young girl reconciles with her subsequent grief by opening up to her grandmother about her memories, with her collection of found objects now acting as touchstones. The simple sentence structures and easy vocabulary make the story's purpose accessible to independent elementary readers, whether or not they can relate to family loss. Bell's detailed illustrations ground and complement the story phrases, as every element described is featured for comfortable visual context. Most notably, the remarkably intricate, handmade textures fill the characters and scenes with a unique tangibility, reflecting how meaningful and impressionable the times shared with loved ones are. VERDICT Though not an essential purchase, this heartfelt story about the loss of a beloved grandparent plainly names the emotions felt by a grieving young child and seeks to reassure children that family memories can be forever cherished.—Rachel Mulligan, Westampton, NJ - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
