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Hi Everyone and welcome to my blog. This site is being constructed as a project requirement for my Master's Program in Library Science from SJSU.

By the end of this Fall10 Semester I should have everything ready to go!





Sunday, November 21, 2010

The Hello, Goodbye Window (Book)

Juster, N. (2005). The hello, goodbye window. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN:0-7868-0914-0

Interest Level: Ages 7 to 3
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Caldecott Winner; Grandparents; Windows; Interracial Families

Plot: A little girl describes all the things that she does at her grandparent's house such as eating breakfast, playing in the yard, and listening to Poppy play the harmonica.  The most important of the activities revolve around or in front of the "Hello, Goodbye Window" in her grandparent's kitchen where they can see everyone who comes and goes from the house, look at their reflections, and play peek-a-boo.

Personal Thoughts: The book's illustrations are done in a wonderful mix of watercolors.  Full of swirls and splotches that might have otherwise served to make a book feel blurry instead give the book a dream-like or reminiscent feeling that allows the reader to impose their own personally memories into the story. The grandparents and the parents of the child are both racially mixed couples which is refreshing though that is not the focus of the story.  The text matter-of-factly describes a number of things that any child might experience.  The story runs a little long for a storytime sitting and is probably best for one-on-one reading with a child.  A nice book about grandparents and everyday activities.  A good follow up discussion might include deciding what window in your own home is the "Hello, Goodbye Window" or which room in your house the family likes to gather in most.

Awards/Recognition:
Caldecott Winner (2006)
ALA Notable Children's Books - Young Readers Category (2006)
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Young Readers Category (2005)
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books (2005)
School Library Journal Best Books (2005)

Other Books by the AuthorThe Phantom Tollbooth (1988); The Odious Ogre (2010); Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie (2008) [Sequel to The Hello, Goodbye Window]

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