Review by Booklist Review
A boy eagerly awaits the arrival of Nana, his grandmother, who will be taking care of him while his parents are away. He plans to show her around his family's farm and introduce her to country life. Will she feel nervous around the livestock and the insects? Nana arrives, but to his surprise (perhaps slightly tinged with disappointment), she seems quite at home on the farm. That night, a thunderstorm wakens them. A sheep has escaped, and the boy herds it back into its pen, winning Nana's applause. The next day, she's impressed as she watches him do his chores. To Nana, the country is both wild and friendly. But nothing in it is more magical than her grandson. Well-paced and simply written, the narrative reads aloud well. This sequel features the boy who visited his grandmother in Castillo's Caldecott Honor Book Nana in the City (2014). The differences between the books' locations are evident in the vibrant illustrations, ink drawings brightened with watercolors and pastels. A pleasing picture book portraying a strong grandmother--grandson relationship.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Castillo's Nana in the City, Nana helped a grandchild move from overwhelm to acceptance of Nana's unfamiliar city home. In this title, Nana visits the child narrator in the country, and she greets everything the child shows her with smiling, unfazed calm. Though "I thought Nana would be nervous," she instead embraces everything she encounters: large geese expecting food, a meadow teeming with insect life, a nest filled with just-hatched birds. "I can't show Nana how to do anything in the country," the child says. "She already knows how to do it all." It's not until a post-bedtime thunderstorm and the escape of a sheep that Nana shows worry--and the child gets a chance to show off a piece of smart animal care that both saves the day and lets the youth take charge. The next day, there are more things to show impressed Nana, who indicates that the country is "filled with the most magical thing--ME!" Black lines; friendly, naturalistic drawings; and inviting country scenes make this an inviting, cozy follow-up that allows a child to take the lead. The duo is portrayed with pale skin. Ages 4--8. (Feb.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In this companion to Caldecott Honor Book Nana in the City (rev. 11/14), Nana comes out to the country to visit with her grandchild. The young narrator is excited to introduce Nana to the special things about rural living but is disappointed to find that "Nana doesn't seem surprised. Not even a bit! I can't show Nana how to do anything in the country." Castillo's detailed ink, watercolor, and pastel illustrations are as at home in portraying this small-farm setting as they were in conveying the hustle and bustle of Nana's beloved city. The art in both books honors the special relationship between grandparent and grandchild. A middle-of-the-night thunderstorm and a sheep on the loose rattle Nana -- and provide her farm-ambassador charge with an opportunity to show off some animal-husbandry know-how. This is a satisfying return visit with two engaging characters. Kitty FlynnJanuary/February 2024 p.73 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Expectations are upended when a grandmother visits her grandchild in the country. The young narrator is thrilled. The child's city-dwelling Nana is about to visit, and at last the little one will be able to introduce her to all sorts of new experiences. Yet when the day in question arrives, Nana seems oddly at home in this rural environment. She's not surprised by the geese, the insects, or the baby birds in a nest. With some sadness, her grandchild reflects, "I can't show Nana how to do anything in the country." All that changes in the night, though, when Nana and the child realize that a sheep has gotten loose in a thunderstorm. Instantly our young hero springs into action, gently leading the sheep back home with treats. The next day, the child shows Nana how to give animals water and how to find eggs, but Nana says that even with all that, the country is "filled with the most magical thing": her grandchild. Castillo gently probes a child's sense of uselessness with great understanding. Her perfectly honed child's-eye perspective makes clear how important it is for grown-ups to occasionally be "taught" by youngsters. Gentle ink watercolors and pastels drill home this necessary message. Characters present white. A book that truly sympathizes with young children's need to earn the respect of their elders. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
