"Grandma's Gloves" is a bittersweet story about a young girl whose grandmother passes away. The two of them were close, with the grandmother teaching the young girl about her garden, as well as making tea and cookies for both of them to enjoy. The girl remarks on how her grandmother often repeated things, but that she didn't mind and was always patient with her grandmother. One day, her mom tells her that her grandmother had to go to the hospital, and the young girl notices that the grandmother no longer smells like she used to; she once smelled of perfume, earth, coffee, and hairspray, but now she smells like alcohol wipes, apple juice, and baby powder. The girl also notices that despite her grandmother not remembering who the girl and her mother are, she still remembers to water the plants on her window. Later, the mother gets a call from the hospital, and the young girl knows that something bad happened by the way her mother reacts. It turns out that the girl's grandmother had died, and a few days later they have a funeral at the grandmother's house. Although everyone is reminiscing and telling stories about the grandmother, the young girl notices that no one cares about the yellowing plants throughout the house. The girl puts her grandmother's gloves on and goes about watering the plants and taking care of them. At the end of the book, the girl's mother tells her that everyone is taking something of the grandmother's to remember her by, and the girl takes the gloves. She asks her mom if they can start a garden, and the mom says that it's a good idea, though she knows nothing about gardening. The little girl walks her mom into the grandmother's garden and tells her that she'll teach her everything she knows. I love this story, and I think that almost anyone could relate to the bittersweet feeling of fondly remembering a loved one. I think what the little girl does to continue her grandmother's legacy and remember her is admirable and adorable in a way. The illustrations of the book also add a lot to the story, as they are vibrant and detailed, though when the girl's grandmother is in the hospital and when she dies, the illustrations become dark and flat to show how depressed the girl and her family feels. I think that kids of any age, and even adults, would really enjoy this book and the message that it sends about the importance of remembering your loved ones. ( )

This story tells the tale of life and death. A young girl spends time with her grandmother and as they make memories together, her grandmother is slowly forgetting things, except for her garden. After her grandmother is hospitalized and eventually passes away, the girl remembers that she has her grandmothers gardening gloves and can use those to stay close to her grandmother. She begins to garden with her mother, teaching her everything that she learned from her grandmother.
This is a great story for young children dealing with loss, as it shows us that even though loss is hard, we should cherish the memories and experiences that we had with loved ones. ( )

This emotional story is about a young girl and her grandma and their sweet memories together in the grandmother’s house. At the beginning of the story, Readers will know all the important things about the girl's grandmother: the way she smells after working in her garden that she loves, the kind of tea she makes, her amazing doughnuts that taste better than anything from a store, and that sometimes she repeats things. The author smartly writes the last characteristic to foreshadow the old woman's decline in health. One day, when the grandma goes to the hospital, she starts to forget everything except her passionate about gardening, “I tell Mama and the nurse that grandma didn’t forget to water the plants in her room. They are big and green, and the violets are blooming.” The next day the child finds out that her lovely grandmother dies and the illustrations start to get darker. “Everything dies one day. I know that.” This line shows the girl acceptance of this last stage of life. She takes her Grandma's gardening gloves as a keepsake and promises to teach her mother what she has learned about gardening. The story’s end closes the circle of birth, death, and renewal. The author uses many meaningful descriptions in her story, “she smells of earth, coffee, hairspray, and perfume.” The illustration perfectly conveys the characters’ feeling and the emotional themes through sensitive facial expressions. ( )

A young girl loves spending time with her grandmother and helping her in the garden. Her grandmother is getting older and is beginning to forget things, but she never forgets her plants and flowers. One day, the grandmother ends up in the hospital and does not know who her daughter and granddaughter are. A few days later, the girl’s grandmother dies.
Many students have to deal with the pain of losing a grandparent. I think this book is an amazing resource for students who have lost a grandparent. Instead of only being sad, the young girl reminisces about all the great times she and her grandmother had. She then starts a garden to carry her grandmother’s legacy on and always remember her. This book would show my students that they are not alone in dealing with this, and I think it could also give them ideas of how to carry on a grandparent’s legacy. ( )

Great for ages 4-6. This book is about a child who loses her grandma. This book provides the child with hope by reminding them they can keep their grandmas memory alive even though she is gone. Great for a child who recently has lost their grandma.