Commentaire descriptif

“My grandma went a-travelling,said: What would you have me bring?Not much, said I,Just a piece of the sky,and a hundred songs I can sing.” So begins this read-aloud about a travelling grandmother and all the wonderful gifts she brings back for her granddaughter, including a baobab seed from Africa, a didgeridoo from Australia, a rainbow from Hawaii and a polar bear’s hair from the Arctic. The lighthearted rhyme, in question-and-answer format, is accompanied by stunning artwork that features Plasticine bas-reliefs brightened with glaze and paint. Children will enjoy the intricate details in these images, the folds and textures of the clothing, the gentle lines of plain and sea. Each illustration depicts the exotic setting and the particular gift or treasure hailing from there, but also captures the march of time as the grandmother and granddaughter gradually grow older. In the final scene, in a poignant nod to the circle of life, the exuberant granddaughter, now a mother, shares the gifts with her child in a different way. This book could be used to introduce a unit on distant lands and cultures.