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Following Grandfather

Author Rosemary Wells

Illustrated by Christopher Denise

Hardcover

$14.99 US

Candlewick

6.38"W x 8.1"H x 0.43"D | 9 oz | 40 per carton

On sale Sep 11, 2012 | 64 Pages | 9780763650698

Age 6-9 years

Reading Level: Fountas & Pinnell N

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Invisible to humans exists a parallel world of mice, where young Jenny misses her cherished grandfather so much that she begins to see him everywhere.

Jenny is as close to her grandfather as a small mouse can be. Grandfather shows Jenny how to button her buttons and how to write her name. He passes along to her the secrets of making the best lasagna in all of Boston. And during long, shared days at Revere Beach, Grandfather teaches Jenny the names of the seashells they find washed up on shore. When Grandfather is all of a sudden gone one day, the hole he leaves behind is too great for Jenny to fathom. Isn’t that him turning a corner, sitting on a bench, heading for the pier, walking along their beloved beach? Jenny runs after the familiar silver whiskers, hoping. . . . Rosemary Wells peels back the layers of grief to reveal, at its core, something as exquisite and achingly beautiful as the rare and storied queen’s teacup seashell. Christopher Denise illustrates mid-century Boston with affection, and a mouse and her grandfather with gentle humor and unabashed sympathy.

Rosemary Wells has written or illustrated more than 120 books for children and has received numerous awards. She is the creator of the beloved Max and Ruby stories; the illustrator of My Very First Mother Goose and Here Comes Mother Goose, both edited by Iona Opie; the author of On the Blue Comet, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline; and the author of Lincoln and His Boys, illustrated by P.J. Lynch. Rosemary Wells lives in upstate New York.

Christopher Denise has illustrated many books for young readers, including Oliver Finds His Way by Phyllis Root, Knitty Kitty by David Elliott, If I Could by Susan Milord, and several of the Redwall books by Brian Jacques. Christopher Denise lives in Rhode Island.

Rosemary Wells View titles by Rosemary Wells

Christopher Denise View titles by Christopher Denise

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Writing with tenderness and humor, Wells creates an authentic, parallel, mouse-sized world within Boston while introducing readers to human-sized devotion and grief in the fully developed relationship between Jenny and Grandfather. Softly anthropomorphic black-and-white illustrations expressively convey the bond between a mouse and her inspiring grandfather. Poignant and sweet.
—Kirkus Reviews

Wells’ wistful ode to a family’s rich history is ultimately a celebration of memory, self-worth, love, and loss, while Denise’s inviting black-and-white illustrations add cozy details.
—Booklist

A heartwarming tale of love and loss, privilege and class, set in bustling Boston...Beautifully written text and endearing gray-scale illustrations transport readers and add to the poignancy of the tale.
—School Library Journal

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