PreS-Gr 2 A young narrator lives with her Nonnie and Poppy in a loving and nurturing environment. Her parents are clearly not involved in her life, and she briefly wonders why. But her grandparents are there to read to her, play with her, and tuck her in at night, and their cuddles never run out. The text is gentle but a bit precious, and the overuse of the word "cuddle" can be annoying after a while. The realistic watercolor illustrations reinforce the reassuring mood of the story. No attempt is made to explain the circumstances that have necessitated this living arrangement, leaving it open for readers' interpretation. This once-unusual scenario is now common and there are few, if any, picture books that address the topic. Although the tale is somewhat bland, the book will likely fill a gap in many collections. Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

With more than six million children in the U.S. being raised by grandparents, this timely story will touch many whose family situations are not the norm. The unnamed narrator explains that she and her grandmother spend lots of time together: sometimes cuddling, sometimes cooking, sometimes watching TV with Poppy. Occasionally when they're reading together, the girl wonders about the children in the book who have parents ddies that twirl them and mommies that tuck them in. But this little girl is happy to be taken care of by her grandparents, who can do the same things that parents do, especially give hugs. Byrne, who is raising her own grandchild, strikes a warm, happy note here, while acknowledging that children may wonder about their parents. (There is nothing about how a real discussion of those questions might go; maybe next time.) The artwork, happily, features modern-looking grandparents, and while there is some awkwardness in execution, the pictures extend the feeling of normalcy and security. Informative Web sites are appended.

First-time author Byrne, who is raising her own granddaughter, introduces a loving family unit intended to reassure children in similar living situations. “We cuddle a lot together, Nonnie and me,” begins the ingenuous young narrator, pictured with her affectionate grandmother at different times of day (“Sometimes it's 'cuz morning comes too soon and I'm still sleepy and Nonnie snuggles in bed with me”). Her voice is plaintive as she and her grandmother read a book in which a father plays with his daughter (“I wonder if my Daddy and I will ever do that”) and the mother tucks the child into bed (“I wonder why my Mommy doesn't do that”). The conclusion—that grandparents can do those things “just as good as” mothers and fathers—leaves unanswered questions (no explanation is given for the absence of the girl's parents), though this open-endedness keeps the book's audience from being further narrowed. Though constant cuddling makes for some repetitious images, Haverfield's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Harriett the Homeless Raccoon) homey watercolors reinforce the bond between the girl and her grandmother and grandfather. Ages 2–5. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Oct.)

"We cuddle a lot together, Nonnie and me. / Sometimes / it's 'cuz morning comes too soon / and I'm still sleepy..." A little girl enumerates the conditions under which she and her loving grandmother and grandfather cuddle: before she goes to school, when she comes home, when they read a book together that features a child with her Daddy or Mommy—" 'Cuz sometimes it's Nonnies and Poppys / that take care of / baby girls and big girls and / baby boys and big boys, / not Mommies and Daddies." The brief, simple text avoids any exploration of why she lives with her grandparents, although the narrator does wonder why her Mommy doesn't tuck her in. The rise in grandparent-led families is one largely ignored in picture books, and this well-meaning effort makes a creditable stab at filling a niche. The irritatingly precious reiteration of " 'cuz" and Haverfield's no-more-than-adequate watercolor illustrations keep this effort firmly among the ranks of bibliotherapy—but it will serve the purpose till better treatments come along. (author's note, Internet resources) (Picture book. 3-6)