Close to You from Far Away

Gr 2-4--An endearing story that will help kids deal with missing their loved ones who live far away. Gigi and her grandma are as close as two people can be. They did everything together mostly because of each other's company. Then Gigi finds out she's moving far away from her grandma and doesn't know how she'll handle it. Grandma tells Gigi, "It's okay. I'm close to you from far away." Although Gigi doesn't understand that at first, as days pass and she goes about doing things that would be fun with her grandma, she realizes what she meant. And once she has that realization, Grandma does not feel so far away after all. Change is always hard for children; Root tackles this in an adorable way sure to ease the adjustment period for readers. The charming inclusion of a girl engaged in various science activities, still rare in picture books and not a main theme here, is always welcome. VERDICT Along with the author's instructions for filling out a postcard, this book is chock-full of compassionate answers for any child missing someone far away; a great addition to the shelves.--David Roberts