cover image Grandma Is a Slowpoke

Grandma Is a Slowpoke

Janet Halfmann, illus. by Michele Coxon. Star Bright, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-59572-710-7

A blond, bespectacled girl in pink rubber boots loves taking walks in the woods with her grandmother, even though her elder relative moves slowly—not because she needs to rest, but because she pauses to observe their surroundings. “We walk the stream. Grandma stops again. She is a slowpoke,” writes Halfmann (Animal Teachers). By the end of their excursion, grandmother and child have spotted a group of rabbits clustered around daisies, muskrats in a stream, and more, and the girl understands that being a “slowpoke” actually means treasuring each moment. Coxon (Kitten’s Adventure) contributes detailed images of plant and animal life, though her human characters are comparatively rigid. Regardless, Halfmann gracefully delivers a message about living in the moment, while closing details about the animals that appear should intrigue wildlife enthusiasts. Ages 3–7. (Feb.)