Maud and Grand-Maud

PreS-Gr 2--Grand-Maud and her namesake granddaughter spend weekends together at Grand-Maud's house. They wear matching nightgowns, eat breakfast for dinner on tray tables while watching old movies, and sleep like sisters in twin beds in a room they share. But wait, there's more! Under young Maud's bed there is a wooden chest that Grand-Maud has hidden a treasure in at each visit; something bought or something made. O'Leary and Pak take readers through the weekend with sepia-toned sketches that are as aspirational as they are nostalgic. Who wouldn't want to be a grandmother like Grand-Maud, and who wouldn't want to be a young Maud, so appreciated and beloved? VERDICT A lovely story of cross-generational ties, this may resonate more with adults than with children. Recommended for large collections.--Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter Sch., Providence

The 24 hours that Maud spends with her namesake grandparent are packed with activity and indulgences: matching handmade nightgowns, breakfast for dinner, and "any kind of movie as long as it is in black and white." In a wooden chest that sits in the bedroom she shares with Grand-Maud, surprises await--something store-bought, or, even better, something Grand-Maud has made by hand or cherished. The visits inspire Maud to journey to the past and future, as she imagines her grandmother's early life (through a photo of a very young Grand-Maud on an elephant) and Maud's own adult life, which includes seven children (and a seven-layer bunk bed) as well as hosting the family's next Maud. Pak's mixed media art strikes a lovely balance between cozy and elegant; softly textured and sepia-toned, illustrations are punctuated with red elements that connect one generation to the other. O'Leary's measured narration reflects a relationship and a rapport that is not only unconditionally loving, but also beautifully, profoundly respectful on both sides. Ages 3-7. (Aug.)