9 Books for Young Readers That Celebrate Grandparents

Nana. Amah. Ojiji. They go by many names. The bonds kids have with their grandparents are worth celebrating. Here are 9 titles for this Grandparents' Day that showcase the love between children and older adults.

 

Nana. Amah. Ojiji. They go by many names. The bonds kids have with their grandparents are worth celebrating. Here are 9 titles for this Grandparents' Day that showcase the love between children and older adults.

 

Pops, Amah Faraway, and Gigi and Ojiji covers

 Pops by Gavin Bishop. illus. by Gavin Bishop. Gecko. ISBN 9781776574001. 
PreS-K–Showcasing a multigenerational relationship, this board book focuses on the bond between a young child and grandfather. Simple text explains the character’s day with developmentally appropriate text. However, the illustrations are the true star of this book. Vivid colors highlight the size difference between the child’s hand compared to the grandfather’s.

 Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias. illus. by Tracy Subisak. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781547607211. 
PreS-Gr 2–Kylie and her mother travel to Taipei from San Francisco to spend time with her Amah, or grandmother, with whom she video chats frequently but can’t visit because of the distance. At first, the little girl feels nervous and unsure about the excursion, daunted by the language barrier and overwhelmed by new tastes and sights Amah wants to share with her. However, when they visit the hot springs, Kylie finally finds that embracing this comforting activity bonds her with her Amah and allows her to enjoy the rest of the stay. 

 Gigi and Ojiji by Melissa Iwai. illus. by Melissa Iwai. ­HarperCollins. ISBN 9780063208063. 
Gr 1-3–Gigi is excited to meet her grandpa, Ojiisan, who is arriving from Japan to live with her family. Even with her basic Japanese vocabulary and the drawing she made to welcome him, their introduction stumbles through several cross-cultural misunderstandings, which makes Gigi cry. Her mom helps her understand the differences between American and Japanese culture and reassures Gigi that all will be well in time. 

Grand Jete and Me, Hundred Years of Happiness, and My Grandma Is Great covers

Grand Jeté and Me by Allegra Kent. illus. by Robin Preiss Glasser. Harper. ISBN 9780062392022. 
K-Gr 3–A little girl is off to see her grandmother, known affectionately as Grand Jeté. Grand Jeté is a former prima ballerina and brings theatricality and chic extravagance to everything she does with her granddaughter, from bowing to vendors in the street to practicing the perfect flower toss for the end of a performance. After getting dressed up in special holiday ensembles, the duo heads to the New York City Ballet to see the iconic George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker

 Hundred Years of Happiness by Thanhhà Lai. illus. by Nguyen Quang & Kim Lien. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780063026926. 
K-Gr 3–An’s grandmother, Bà, can no longer remember. An spends time after school with Bà, feeding her sweet fruit and singing a forgotten song about a baby elephant. An’s grandfather, Ông, is devoted to his wife, thinking of ways to remind her of herself. Enlisting An’s help, Ông plants seeds, hoping to grow the vines that will render the special fruit used in Vietnamese sticky rice. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, Bà is presented with the rich, red treat. 

My Grandma Is Great! by Sabrina Moyle. illus. by Eunice Moyle. Abrams/Appleseed. (Hello! Lucky). ISBN 9781419755453. 
PreS–Designed for shared reading with a grandmother figure, this book praises the strength and love of a grandma through a lively fuchsia dragon characterization, surrounded by dynamic patterns, color, and sparkle. The other title in the series—My Grandpa is Grand!—proves equally complimentary of a grandfather figure, using the characterization of a lion. 

Grandparents Day!, How to Find the Tooth Fairy, and A Gift for Nana covers

Grandparents Day! by Candice Ransom. illus. by Ashley Evans. Random. ISBN 9780593302644. 
PreS-K–Two siblings enjoy a busy day with their grandparents in this beginning reader. Eating pancakes at a restaurant, exploring a natural history museum, riding paddle boats in the park; then to the grandparents’ home to watch old family movies, build a birdhouse, and play with the pet dog round out a fun-filled day for this brother and sister and their grandparents, who are all Black.

How to Find the Tooth Fairy by Jean Reagan. illus. by Lee Wildish. Random. ISBN 9780593479124; pap. $4.99. 
Gr 1-2–A young white boy is spending the night away from home with grandparents when the first tooth is lost. The boy knows he needs to put the tooth under his pillow, but worries that the Tooth Fairy will not find him when he is not at home. Together with Grandpa, a plan is formulated to help the Tooth Fairy find her way. 

A Gift for Nana by Lane Smith. illus. by Lane Smith. Random/Studio. ISBN 9780593430330.  
PreS-Gr 2–A quirky and lovely ode to the unconditional love of grandparents and the unexpected delights and challenges of going on a quest. Little Rabbit wants to get his nana a gift, even though it isn’t a hare holiday or even her birthday. When Crow tells Rabbit of a perfect gift, Rabbit decides that a quest is in order. Like every good quest, the end result isn’t that important, but rather, it is about the interesting encounters along the way and the acquired knowledge. 

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