Who doesn’t have warm memories of spending time with their grandmother? In ”My Grandmother is Special" by Sheila Askins, the author explores this cherished bond between child and grandma. We see grandmas through the eyes of many different children and learn why these children think their grandmas are so unique and special. It’s hard not to recall one’s own special moments with grandma while perusing the pages of this book. However, while the illustrations do shine with beautiful and bold colors, and feature an array of diverse characters and cultures, the book's overall execution is a bit clunky.

The odd positioning of words on the page disrupts the natural flow of reading, making it challenging to establish a comfortable cadence. Some pages flow with precise wording and rhyme while others are cluttered with overly verbose sentences with an erratic arrangement that hinders our ability to fully immerse ourselves in the story. The lack of cohesive narrative tone leaves readers longing for a more seamless and rhythmic prose.

"My Grandmother is Special" has so much potential to connect with readers, but its endearing tale often gets lost in the book's structural and linguistic shortcomings. While the author has certainly crafted a story that celebrates the uniqueness of grandmothers and the love they bring to our lives, it's disappointing that these positives are overshadowed by the book's uneven writing style.

I love the idea behind this storybook - it’s beautiful. The illustrations are bright and colourful, the message is lovely, and the rhymes make it fun and engaging for children. Unfortunately the poor grammar and punctuation really missed the mark for me! Has the book had its final edit? Would be happy to revisit my review if not.
Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for an eARC of this book to read and review.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a picture book about grandmothers and the role they play in our lives as advisors , caretakers, supporters and givers of hugs. It is well illustrated even though the images may seem from a different story it will ensure you appreciate your grandma

Rating: 2.5

This one has a nice sentiment.

The illustrations sometimes looked like they were all from different books though. Other times I really enjoyed them.

I think the writing in the beginning was strong than the writing at the end. It was a little choppy as if it were maybe translated from another language.

I wish it had a bit more of a story to it. I think because there wasn’t much of a story that kids may have a hard time staying engaged in this one.

This is a cute book about grandmothers and the role they can - or could and should - play in their grandchildren's lives. The diversity aspect was well- addressed.

There were some contradictions between the kind of (almost exclusively junk) food described as being provided by grandmothers, with the assertion that the grandmothers are fit and health-conscious with regard to the food they eat. Some of the rhymes could also be improved upon in terms of rhythm.

It was interesting to see that, in the book, grandmothers are allowed to be a little stern at times, with advice being given to grandchildren that is decidedly on the traditional side.

I have no problem with this approach to providing life lessons, but one explanation for the values system here might be explained by the late introduction of Jesus into the book.

This of course limits the applicability of the book to an audience of Christians only. But for those who are bringing up their children using a Christian faith-based approach to life, this book can be a nice resource.