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Is Grandpa wearing a suit? ISBN: 9780978755041
Fried, Amelie and Gleich, Jacky
Published by Heryin, 1997
Originally a German publication, this book has quite stunning and unusual illustrations. Full of browns and ocres and golds, with the odd splash of red, as well as hatching and cross hatching and people in unusual perspective, the pictures are sombre and textured and somewhat old-European in style. Bruno's grandfather has died. Bruno sees him in his coffin dressed in a suit and dress shoes, quite unlike Grandpa's usual boots, and he begins to ask questions: What is burial? Adults comfort Bruno, but who will comfort the adults? What does it mean to die? Why are people eating lots of meat and potatoes and beer after the funeral? Does crying make one hungry? How can Grandpa be both in heaven and in the ground? It must be said that Bruno's family are bemused by his questions and are not terribly good at answering them, so mostly he comes up with his own, sometimes unique, answers. He feels anger at Grandpa for not teaching him to fish as promised, but he also feels great sadness. Time does its job, and 'Bruno feels the hole in his heart slowly closing up.' There is lots of text in this picture book, and while Bruno appears to be very young, the ideas and concepts will best suit children over 6. A super and unusual book. Published in English in the US, it is available in the UK through Gazelle Books: sales@gazellebooks.co.uk, Tel: 01524 68765.
Age: 6+