Grandpas are the greatest

Sprightly rhymes sing grandfathers' praises in this enthusiastic, vocation-centric tribute about the "great long line of grandpas/ that leads all the way to you." Featuring individual grandads who bake, build, explore, invent, and more gathered at a picnic, Faulks finds ways to spotlight each one's interests as connected to their relationship with a beloved grandchild. In one instance, a youth holds a top hat exploding with playing cards while an adult waves a wand ("My grandpa's a magician/ who tours across the land...// and I'm his young apprentice,/ who lends a helping hand"). In another, a grandad and child hang-glide through blue skies, and a final youth's grandfather "stays at home with me." Captured by Tudor with crayon-like markings, lively scenes depict child/grandparent pairs of varied abilities and skin tones, building to a message that "you can always count on grandpas." Ages 3--6. (May)

The title says it all: Grandpas rule! In this book that sings the praises of grandfathers, a diverse group of patriarchs gather for a summer picnic. "Every grandpa's different / in shape and size and name," but the men are united in their love of their grandchildren. One brown-skinned grandfather is a baker. A light-skinned grandfather was a builder who, in retirement, builds a playhouse for his grandchild. An Asian-presenting grandfather is an explorer. Others include a light-skinned inventor who creates popcorn-powered wings, a brown-skinned fisherman who regales his grandchild with tales of undersea wonders, a tan-skinned magician who travels the land, and even a daring brown-skinned hang glider. Another child sings the praises of their stay-at-home grandfather (both are light-skinned) who reads, sings to, and cuddles his grandchild, just as his grandfather loved him many years ago. Each grandfather's gift is described with a short rhyming verse. Energetic illustrations in clear, bright colors capture the joy and activities of the picnic as well as the details of the grandfathers' and grandchildren's daily lives--the light-skinned barber grandfather's wild gray beard and photos of the haircuts he's given over the years will encourage readers to explore their own family photos. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A loving tribute to grandfathers. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.