Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa by A. Dewdney

Dewdney, Anna. Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa.  New York, NY:  Viking, 2015.  PrintThis is one of a series of Llama Llama books by author/illustrator Anna Dewdney.   In this volume, Llama Llama is staying away from home for the first night.  The rhymed story takes him from packing at home to being left at his grandparents and unpacking.  It is there that he discovers that his “fuzzy llama” is missing.  At bedtime he has a meltdown where “Llama’s lips begin to quiver./ Llama starts to shake and shiver./ Llama needs Fuzzy near,/but FUZZY LLAMA ISN’T HERE!”.  Grandpa Llama produces his own childhood toy and all is well.  The text works well as a read-aloud for the age 3-5 intended audience. While all of the creatures in the book are llamas, they are fully anthropomorphized.  The llamas drive cars, eat at a table with cutlery and grow carrots in a garden.  They are essentially people who look like llamas.  As a result young children will easily identify with the little llama missing his “fuzzy”.  Dewdney’s artwork is excellent.  The colours are bright and the characters engaging.  In addition to the very human facial expressions, Dewdney uses the llama’s ears to show emotion – up and perky when happy or excited, droopy when sad or lonely.This would be a good book to read with a child who is anxious about staying away from home.  It provides a starting point for talking with children about separation anxiety, though distress that Llama Llama feels is more related to his missing toy than about being away from his mother.   This book is highly recommended for public libraries, elementary schools and day cares.Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.