by Louise Erdrich (Author) Jim LaMarche (Illustrator)
A grandmother's sudden departure leaves her family with an even more puzzling, and wondrous, surprise in this enchanting story from the National Book Award-winning author--at last back in print
Grandmother was a mysterious woman. She could heal with a touch (or with a cup of very bitter tea) or scare off a vicious dog with a look. But when she hitches a ride to Greenland on a passing porpoise, her family is still surprised--and then concerned. The mystery deepens when, among Grandmother's collection of birds' nests, the family discovers a clutch of eggs hatching. Out pop three passenger pigeons--birds of a species long extinct, supposedly.
Through the words of a curious grandchild, and Jim LaMarche's evocative artwork, Grandmother's legacy unfolds in these pages in all its peculiarity and charm. Mixing whimsy and gravity with a little science and history, the tale of the family's loss, and marvelous find, summons a world as intriguing as it is perfectly clear--a world animated by Louise Erdrich's storytelling magic, inviting readers young and old to follow Grandmother, and to wonder.
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"Impeccably paired, text and art gracefully build to a conclusion that both reassures and startles. Magical from beginning to end."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Tips the delicate balance between the fanciful and more realistic aspects of storytelling."—Kirkus Reviews
"This is a book that adults will be glad to share over and over, which is good because children are going to be asking for it many times."—Ely Winter Times
Louise Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. Her books include Love Medicine, The Plague of Doves, The Round House, and LaRose. Her books for children include The Birchbark House Series. Along with a spirited group of colleagues, Louise operates Birchbark Books, a small independent bookstore in Minneapolis. Her most recent novel, The Night Watchman, is based on the story of her grandfather, Patrick Gourneau, who loved his family and chopped a lot of wood for The Range Eternal.
Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher have illustrated numerous books together. Among the most critically acclaimed are My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss and The Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka.