Just Us

Praise

After a snowstorm snarls travel, a family of four explores new ways to celebrate, “just us,” in Griffin’s emotionally aware story. With opening first-person lines, a youthful speaker describes the jubilant festivities that take place every year with extended family, portrayed with pale skin, including a “big, big dinner, everybody together,” “charades, loud and rowdy,” and three kinds of pie. In the absence of these traditions, the narrating child and a sibling, led by Mom and Mama, fill the day with cozy activities—cooking stew, hiking through the snow, playing a card game—that each prove enjoyable in their own way. When pent-up disappointment results in an understandable emotional outburst, the foursome loops in Grandma virtually for a “sweet” ending. Semirdzhyan’s scribbly-lined drawings create animated narrative scenes that capture the range of sentiments suggested by the story’s focuses on togetherness and adaptability. An apple crisp recipe concludes.
—Publishers Weekly


Holiday traditions can be a source of great comfort and fun. Conversely, a sudden disruption feels challenging to anyone, especially to young children. The little narrator of this story is used to having a full house for the holidays, replete with lots of food, loud games, and, of course, Grandma’s pies. Disappointingly, a surprise snowstorm prevents her grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and their pets from coming, so the rambunctious family event becomes “Just Mom, Mama, my brother, and me.” Nevertheless, the little family gamely makes the best of the changed circumstances, cooking a pot of stew instead of a feast, going for a snowy hike, playing cards, and, with grandma’s virtual help, whipping up some apple crisp instead of pie. Ultimately, they realize that something different can still feel special. Semirdzhyan’s illustrations effectively alternate vignettes and spreads, with an almost sketch-like style lovingly capturing the domestic warmth of both extended and nuclear families. A recipe for Grandma’s Apple Crisp is included in the back.

VERDICT A charming, cozy tale that emphasizes the importance of family and flexibility in holiday celebrations.
—School Library Journal