Granny and Bean

Praise

Told in rhyming verse, the story is a quiet study of life by the sea. The illustrations, which rely on grays, browns, and tans, perfectly capture the chill and damp of a blustery day. . . . Librarians and educators will appreciate that the book provides a gentle counterpoint to the plethora of “sunny days at the beach” books. . . Perfectly captures the mood of the day.
—Kirkus Reviews

In this soothing wind-down story, Newbery Medalist Hesse’s lines lull with rhyme and repetition. . . . understands the importance of taking time in the natural world.
—Publishers Weekly

This plainspoken text provides a foundation for Voake’s atmospheric mixed-media illustrations in which the interplay of gray and white in sky, sea, shadow, and rain is celebrated. Against this dynamic, impressionistic background, Granny and Bean, in glowing primary block colors, are sturdy and joyful. . . the relationship between a small child and an adult who has the time and patience to wander, who doesn’t mind wet feet, and who provides a sustaining snack at just the right moment feels universal.
—The Horn Book

The setting may be overcast, but Hesse’s jaunty rhyming couplets provide plenty of cheer. . . the full-bleed spreads transport the reader into the moody scenery, with an effective palette shift in the final endpapers as a break in the clouds welcomes a visually cathartic finale to a day of docile drama. . . an aesthetically dazzling, tenderhearted celebration as part of a Grandparents’ Day storytime.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books