Grandpa and Bo [Hardcover]

Kevin Henkes (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Bo was spending the summer with Grandpa. they walked and fished and made thing together. They celebrated Christmas together -- a very special summer Christmas. But best of all, they talked and laughed and talked some more. And when they finally saw the shooting star at the end of the summer, there was no question the their wishes would be the same.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Playing catch, exploring nature and re-creating a Christmas spent apart are just a few of the ways a boy and his grandfather enjoy their summer together in Grandpa & Bo (1986) by Kevin Henkes. Cream-colored pages and framed pencil drawings suggest the intimacy the pair shares.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2 Due to family logistics, Bo and Grandpa see each other only at every other Christmas and during the summer, which they spend on Grandpa's farm in the country. They take walks, go fishing, observe life, and have special places where they sit and talk. Grandpa answers all of Bo's questions and gives every bit of life a personalized name: "That's a praying mantis. . .but we can call him Ralph." When Bo realizes that they will be separated at this coming Christmas, the two celebrate a summer Christmas. Warmly and gently told, Grandpa and Bo is balanced by equally soft full-paged pencil drawings with yellow backgrounds throughout. Henkes' story builds slowly yet lovingly, paralleling perfectly the events of a very special summer for a young boy and his grandfather. Laura Bacher, St. Catherine's School, Richmond, Va.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (April 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066238374
• ISBN-13: 978-0066238371
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 7.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kevin Henkes is the creator of many distinguished books for children, including Kitten's First Full Moon (winner of the Caldecott Medal), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and Chrysanthemum. His novels for young people include Olive's Ocean (a Newbery Honor Book) and Bird Lake Moon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful book for young early readers, June 8, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grandpa and Bo (Hardcover)

Gently written and charmingly illustrated by Kevin Henkes, Grandpa & Bo is a delightful book for young early readers. Warm, black-and-white sketches showing the love and friendship shared between a young boy and his grandfather enjoying the simple beauty of nature and the turning of the seasons highlight this gentle, wonderful, highly recommended picturebook story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars gentle story of friendship and family, October 12, 2005

By 

waldorf_curric - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Grandpa and Bo (Hardcover)

You know you've got it good when you can be friends with your relatives! Bo has a very special relationship with his Grandpa -- they don't see each other often, but when they do it's very high quality time. Playing ball, taking walks, gardening, cooking, listening to records, weaving baskets, carving statues out of a bar of soap... Bo's summer spent with his Grandpa is full of perfect childhood moments. And Grandpa has just the right attitude towards life. Every animal and tree is his friend and they give them all names. Bo's dearest wish is to see a shooting star before the summer ends. And they do, on the very last night. The illustrations are warm and perfectly match the tone of the book. One of Kevin Henkes' earlier books (copyright 1986), you can definitely see him emerging as a strong writing talent. This is a story to treasure about the love between grandparent and child.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, lovely layout with pencil drawings, February 7, 2010

By 

Carly Anderson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grandpa and Bo (Hardcover)

All in all this book was a very nice story of two very close family members, Grandpa and Bo. A sweet story, completed by soft, meaningful pencil drawings gives it an overall feel of "simplicity, love, and tenderness".
Good for 2nd and 3rd graders; I read it to my group 2nd graders and allowed them to study the pictures on their own before I had to return it to the library; the response was quite positive (both of the story and the artwork).
If i was their full time teacher (i'm only a student still!) I would defiantly put this book on a wishlist for the class!