AD940L

Pre k - 2

The Relatives Came is about a family who takes a trip across the country to visit with family.  The book describes the things that the family does during their trip and how the family reacts when they get there.  I would use this book in my classroom for text-to-self connections.  I would teach my students that they can take the information in the books that they read and connect it to their own lives to gain understanding.

5 stars

I didn't not like this Newberry winner but I feel like I should have felt a bit more when finishing it considering its about a child grieving a loss in her family. Its almost too short to really get that sense.

May has suddenly died. And with death, Summer knows she will never see her aunt again. That is until her Uncle Ob declares that May is on her way back. Summer just wants to believe that she'll one day see her aunt May again.

Uncle Ob is a great side character. Its a realistic portrayal of an adult grieving their wife/husband. He just doesn't want to believe its true and along with that has a hard time taking care of Summer.

I think I would have liked a little bit more of a background on May and the family before she had died. I think that's why I had trouble imagining how much these characters loved May when we never really got to know her in the first place.

Its a good book to keep in mind for families and children looking for a book to read about loss and grieving death in the family.

Relatives from Virginia come to visit their family. The relatives are much different than the family they are visiting. Where they live, they grow grapes and where the family lives they grow watermelon and strawberries. The relatives give lots and lots of hugs and they do not mind all piling up in a bed to sleep at night. I would use this book in a second grade class and have them write a personal narrative with family being the theme.