I certainly understand the role of reflective stories especially around grief. I'm not sure that nostalgia really works in this case, though. What do small children have to be nostalgic about? This is a story more for their adults and that gives me pause.

A beautiful book but probably enjoyed mor by me than by my kids. A great gift for a mother or grandmother.

The Green Baby Swing by Thomas King is a tender and poignant picture book that explores themes of loss, intergenerational love, and the power of family keepsakes. Through the eyes of young Xavier, readers are taken on a journey of discovery as he explores his late Nana's attic and uncovers the hidden treasures within.

The narrative unfolds as Xavier, accompanied by his mother and their kitten Comet, ventures into Nana's attic to help clean it up after her passing. Initially apprehensive about the attic's gloomy atmosphere, Xavier soon finds himself immersed in a world of nostalgia and memories as he sifts through Nana's belongings.

Thomas King's storytelling is gentle and evocative, capturing the bittersweet emotions of loss and remembrance with sensitivity and grace. As Xavier uncovers various objects and keepsakes, each item serves as a catalyst for reflection and storytelling, deepening his understanding of his family's history and his own identity.

The illustrations by Thomas King complement the text beautifully, depicting the attic's dusty corners and the warmth of family connections with equal skill and attention to detail. Each page is rich with visual storytelling, inviting readers to linger over the intricate artwork and immerse themselves in Xavier's world.

While The Green Baby Swing offers a touching exploration of loss and memory, some readers may find the pacing of the story slow at times, and the resolution may feel somewhat predictable. Additionally, the book's themes may be more resonant for readers who have experienced loss or have a personal connection to the idea of family keepsakes.

Overall, The Green Baby Swing is a heartfelt and beautifully crafted picture book that celebrates the enduring power of love, memory, and family bonds. While it may not be suitable for all audiences due to its themes of loss and grief, it offers a poignant reminder of the importance of cherishing the past while embracing the present and future.

After Nana dies, Xavier and his mom go up to the attic to clean it out and find memories everywhere. One particular item is the green swing which comforted Mother and Xavier and now Comet the kitten. The three snuggle under the green swing comforted by the love they all share.

One of the great cruelties of death is that mourners are left with tasks that must be done swiftly after. But, sometimes, these tasks can be not only a part of processing grief, but can bring back joy at a time when it seems impossible.

Xavier and his mother are cleaning out Nana’s house, getting it ready for sale. As they look through boxes and in the big attic, memories are brought back, including that of the green baby swing: a cloth Nana used to cradle Xavier’s mother, and which Xavier’s mother used to cradle him. And now, Xavier uses it to cradle his kitten, keeping the little creature happy while he and his mother bond and grieve.

The watercolor illustrations in this book are soothingly soft, a great choice for the slow, delicate process of mourning. However, there’s a bit too much whitespace. The book is fairly text-heavy for a picture book, so having some pages which are primarily whitespace does help readers, what with the text standing out better than if you tried to make it work on even a plain background. I just wish more of the whitespace pages had a few floating illustrations on the top/bottom, or in corners. A few pages are mostly whitespace, plus smaller images, and those are great, but it means that the ones which are just plain white pages with text feel quite boring.

Overall, though, this is a good little book, and another good library addition. Hopefully, mourning is an infrequent enough activity in your household that buying one for your family doesn’t make sense, and you can instead just borrow.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

After the death of his beloved Nana, Xavier and his mother discover treasures and keepsakes in the dusty attic, including a baby swing that looks nothing like a swing, but has a lovely story behind it. This is a beautiful book about grieving, and passing on memories.

With soft, watercolor illustrations by Yong Ling Kang.

I received an electronic ARC from Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley.
Such a tender look at grief and memories. After his Nana dies, a young boy and his mom go up in her attic to begin cleaning out her home. They find all sorts of treasures and his mom shares stories. Then he finds a soft green blanket. His mom explains it is "the green baby swing" and sings the song her mom and she sang as they rocked their babies. She shows him how to wear it and her rocks his kitten. A lovely story with gorgeous illustrations that captures the generational love and bonds that bring peace after a loved one's death. Beautiful book to share with families who have lost older relatives.

a great picture book about loss and grief and family heirlooms in a way that kids can understand. A great edition to any library.

I have enjoyed previous work by both this illustrator and author, so I was eager to see their collaborative work. I enjoyed this story - the mother and son repeating a song to each other reminded me a lot of the experience of reading Robert Munsch's I'll Love You Forever. This story has some beautiful portrayals of family and love among grief. Would definitely make a sweet read-a-long stories for children and their adults.

This is a cute story about going through the possessions of a loved one after the death and the memories that conjures. With each item, the mom was able to tell her young son a little more about his grandmother who had just passed away. One particular item, a non-traditional green "swing", becomes the focus of the young ones interest. Mom tells about Nana using it with her, and her using it with him. He, in turn, wants to use it with the cat. The song that is sung with its use is sweet and the words are catchy enough to make a simple tune come to mind. This would be a good book to read with a young child who had lost an older loved one, especially if they are going to be around to help go through the loved ones personal items.

This picture book about grief involves a boy and his mother going through his grandmother's belongings in the attic after her death. The mother introduces the little boy to the stories that some of these items represent, and they both find comfort in the memories related to a soft, green fabric sling. The slow-moving, reflective story is sweet, and the illustrations are nice, but this will appeal to parents much more than children.

I would mainly only recommend this to families who are in the same situation of going through a deceased loved one's belongings. There's a lot that it doesn't address, so if someone is just looking for a general book about death and grieving, they may prefer something that addresses more of their child's questions and emotions. However, this fills a niche that some people will find helpful.

Green Baby Swing was such a cute story!
After grandma's death, a toddler and his mother look through Nana's old things in the attic. One of the treasures they find is a little green baby sling. Xavier wants to put everyone in the sling; his cat, his mommy, and himself (even though they're too big to fit together).
A wonderful description of a mother/baby relationship and the innocence and simple happiness of a young child. The illustrations add a complimentary finishing touch.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this wonderful picture book

This is a heartfelt picture book about the loss of a grandmother and the comfort of old memories through family keepsakes. It is a book I would recommend for small children as the story and illustrations are charming and inventive. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

While recovering from the loss of a beloved grandmother, a family finds a baby swing in the attic. Lovely memories are recounted and the swing becomes part of the grandchild’s life. This would be great for teaching personal narratives about a treasured object.

What a sweet story about family love! It’s hard to explain the death of a grandparent, but this book provides a gentle way to address the topic. The mother, child and kitten are perfect illustrated to enhance the loving spirit of the book. Those of us lucky enough to have known a grandparent can appreciate how precious memories can be.