Thursday, August 29, 2013

Celebrating Grandparents' Day, September 8, 2013



With Emphasis on the Grand!




This bibliography of resources available for both grandchildren and grandparents recognizes just how important the grandparent/grandchild relationship is.

Evelyn Smith

Storybooks about Grandparents*:

Ancoma,  George. (2005).  Mis abuelos = My grandparents. Somos Latinos/We Are Latinos.  (Rpt. 2012).  Danbury, Connecticut: Children’s Press [Scholastic].

The  Guarva children enjoy many activities with their grandparents--playing chess, shopping for groceries, and helping to prepare dinner--in this dual language book written and illustrated by author/photographer George Ancora (ages 6-8).

Carlston, Nancy White.  (1987). The Moon came too. New York: Macmillian.

This storybook for children age three and up tells in rhyme a little girl’s plans to visit grandmother’s house.  Granny may be drawn stereotypically, with orthopedic shoes and her hair in a bun, but preschool and first grade readers will enjoy the girl’s long list of items that she plans to take on her trip.

Haywood, Carolyn.  (2987). Hello, Star. Morrow: New York. 

A five-year girl spends the summer in the country at grandmother’s house.

Soetoro-Ng, Maya. (2011). Ladder to the Moon. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick. 

A literary folk tale, written in response to daughter Sohalia’s questions about Grandmother Annie, President Barack Obama’s half-sister weaves a tribute to Stanley Anne Dunham.


Image result for bedtime reading with grandmother


Connect with grandchildren by downloading the A Story Before Bed app.  A Story Before Bed is the only service that lets parents and grandparents record a children's book online with audio and video while pre-recorded books are on sale as well. Children can then play back the recording as often as they like on iPad, iPhone, Mac, or PC. For more information, go to http://www.astorybeforebed.com/



Adult Fiction*:

Hart, Carolyn.  (2009).  Merry, merry ghost.  A Bailey Ruth Mystery.  New York: William Morrow (Large Print, Books on Tape). 

The Heavenly Department of Good Intentions sends the late Bailey Ruth back to Adelaide Oklahoma, to protect a small child, foil a murder, and save Christmas.

Morsi, Pamela. (2009). Red’s hot honky-tonk bar. Toronto, Canada: Mira [Harlequin].

Red Cullen, not the usual granny, but a 46-year-old, midriff barring, tight jeans wearing owner of a San Antonio bar, must cope when she takes in her worldly wise 9-year-old granddaughter and 6-year-old grandson while her soldier daughter is stationed overseas in this atypical romance.

Adult Biography*:

Roosevelt, Curtis.  (2008). Too close to the sun: Growing up in the shadow of my grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor.  Jackson, Tennessee: Public Affairs.

Curtis Roosevelt, age 3, his sister, Eleanor, age 9, and his separated mother, Anna Roosevelt Dall, moved into the White House following his parents’ separation whereupon Curtis gives a child-eye view of growing up in the company of Papa and Grandmeré Roosevelt.  Although Curtis idolizes his grandparents, he leads a lonely and socially isolated existence.

Jasper, Kenji. (2005). The House on Childress Street.  New York: Harlem Moon/Broadway Books.

Novelist Kenji Jasper sets out to learn about his grandfather, a journey back in time that takes him from Washington, D. C., to Virginia, North Carolina, and Brooklyn. 

Adult Nonfiction (How-to & Self-help)*:

Ford, Judy. (1997). Wonderful ways to love a grandchild. Newburyport Press, Massachusetts: Conari. [electronic resource].

Ford offers sixty practical suggestions on how grandparents can take an active part in their grandchildren’s lives—a skill that take clarity, connection, and courage to achieve.

Gehring, Abigail R. (2012).  The simple joys of grandparenting: stories, nursery rhymes, recipes, games, crafts, and more. New York: Skyhorse Publishing.

This collection puts at the reader’s fingertips many of the skills and resources he or she may have forgotten from way back when, including a selection of classic children’s stories and poems, how-to-make arts and crafts directions for sock puppets and homemade finger paint crafts, recipes for mini-pizzas, mac’n cheese, and chocolate chip cookies, how-to keep journal entries that prompt conversation with the grandkids, and fun ways to teach family history. 

Hartt, Walter, Cross, Wilbur, & Hartt, Marilyn. The complete idiots guide to grandparenting [electronic resource].  (1997).  New York: Alpha [Random House/ Penguin]. 

Idiot’s Guide Series book provides tips for grandparents on childproofing their home and staying close to long-distance grandchildren. 

LeShan, Edna J.  (1984).  Grandparents: A special kind of love. New York: Macmillian.

Although Edna LeShan started out as a child psychologist, she came to specialize in writing books for and about senior adults.  Thus, her two loves come together in this book. 

Westheimer, Ruth K. (1998).  Grandparenthood. London: Routledge.

Dr. Ruth counsels grandparents on how to establish and maintain a meaningful relationship with their grandchildren, manage visits, gifts, and handle grandchildren whose parents have divorced or are in non-traditional relationships.


*McGregor residents with a Waco-McLennan County Library card may request any books in the Waco-McLennan County Library be delivered to them at the McGinley Memorial Library free-of-charge.



Rich literacy experiences from the start!


Literacy, Families & Learning















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Grandparent Help on the Web:

How to be a better grandparent.   (2013, July). Helpguide.org.  Harvard Health Publications.  Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/grandparenting.htm

Webpage explains what’s so grand about being a grandparent as well as detailing the role a grandparent plays in his or her grandchildren’s lives.  It also lists common pitfalls of grandparents and provides the reader with some inspired grandparenting tips.  Finally, the Website gives users links filed with related articles on grandparents and healthy aging along with lots of additional resources and references of interest to grandparents. 

Kornhaber, Arthur. (2012).  Grandparenting.org. Foundation for Grandparenting.

Website offers interactive ideas, activities and resources.  Dr. Kornhaber answers readers questions, furnishes links to newsworthy articles on grandparenting,  promotes ideas and activities for grandparents, and provides them with resources on such topics as long-distance grandparenting, grandparents as spiritual guides, and helping with a grandchild’s college tuition.

USA.gov Grandparents Page:

Grandparents raising grandparents. (2013, August 23).  Retrieved from

Website provides Federal links for benefit assistance, health and safety records, and data and publications as well as a link to state resources. 


Online Magazines for Grandparents:


Christian Grandparents Network. (2013).  Retrieved from http://www.christiangrandparenting.net/

Website contains blogs, prayers, articles and resources of particular interest to Christian grandparents.  An iTunes link also takes users to GGN educational podcasts.

Grandparents. (2013).  About.com.  Retrieved from http://grandparents.about.com/

United Kingdom based Website provides lots of links of interests to grandparents as well as blogs and related visits.  Proud grandparents can also submit a Grandphoto of the week.

Grandparents.com.  (2013).  Retrieved from http://www.grandparents.com/

All inclusive Website covers family relationships, food and leisure, health and well bieing, and money issues.  A grandparents’ toolkit links readers with a kid’s activity finder, an ages and stages link, a toy and gift finder, a grandparent name finder, and a city guide.  A Grand Deals section links readers to contests and discounts; a Community page contains forums and blogs, and a Grand Corps page provides links to volunteer organizations.  Finally, a Games section will keep dementia at bay with all kinds of challenging Online card and word games.

Grandtimes! (2013, August 25).  Retrieved from http://www.grandtimes.com/index.html

Weekly Online magazine for grandparents published since 1995, Grandtimes provides its readership with articles on cooking, finance and law, aging, health, free legal advice, and nostalgia and fiction.

Grandparent Information and Tips. (2013). Third Age.com. Third Age Media, LLC. Retrieved from http://www.thirdage.com/grandparenting

The Grandparent Information and Tips section of Third Age.com contains information on Parenting the Second Time Around and 21st-century Grandparenting.  While the Web magazine provides links to sections dealing with health & Wellness, Aging Well, and Beauty & Style.  Readers can also access a Third Age Online dating site from this page.

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