Tomorrow I’ll be sharing LOVE IS KIND at a special Grandparents’ Day Celebration at a local preschool. It’s a lovely pairing of story and celebration because one of the themes of LOVE IS KIND is the specialness of the bond that children have with their grandparents. Indeed, it’s Little Owl’s love for Grammy that sets the story in motion… and it’s Grammy’s love for him that brings the story to a cozy resolution.
Here’s a sweet glimpse of that bond in a special clip illustrator Lison Chaperon made to celebrate LOVE IS KIND:
I love that Little Owl and his grammy have such a sweet relationship, because it reminds me of the special bond I shared with each of my grandmothers. I didn’t call either of them Grammy, but I most certainly shared a special connection with each that I treasure to this day.
I called my paternal grandmother “Nana”and she taught me what unconditional love looks and feels like. I will always associate the sweet scent of chocolate chip cookies with her and have fond memories of sitting beside her as she did her daily crossword puzzle. She showed love in quiet, gentle ways – through hand-made gifts like crocheted throws and homemade dresses- and just quietly being. We always knew she loved us no matter what.
I called my maternal grandmother “Mymommie” because as a small child, when my mother referred to her as “Mommie” I got confused and would always say, “You?” To this my mother would smile and answer, “No, my mommie!” and the name stuck. Unlike Nana who was so quiet and gentle, Mymommie was more of the outgoing, life of the party type. From her, I learned what it looked and sounded like to be poised and articulate. She was also a voracious reader and wonderful storyteller and I like to think that I got my love of story from her.
Though both have passed away, I still feel a special bond to them, for in their own ways, they each helped me to become the grown up I am now. How special was their influence?
Special enough that I decided to dedicate LOVE IS KIND to their memories. Thank you, Mymommie and Nana, for instilling in me a love for life and an appreciation of the gift of love.
If you have the chance to read LOVE IS KIND either as a grandparent reading with your grandchild or as a grandchild reading with your grand, I hope you will each take a moment to let each other know just how special you are to each other.
Happy Reading, all!
P.S. For those of you unfamiliar with the National Grandparents Day, it was officially designated as the first Sunday after Labor Day in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. You can learn more about the day here.
Laura Sassi Tales 
What a special tribute and fun to see you with your grandmothers. Thankfully, one of mine is still alive (94), and I saw her over summer break. Have fun at the preschool!
Thanks, Tina! My grandmothers would both be over 100! Your grandmother must be thrilled to see her granddaughter’s book success!
Never too late for Grandparents Day. It could be everyday 😉 ~
I only ever had one, and my kids only had one, and I wish I could have celebrated it longer. I’ll celebrate yours!
We’ll celebrate together. =)
Laura, thank you so much for this great post … loved seeing your Nana and MyMommie … very sweet tribute to these two wonderful ladies we were lucky to have in our lives ❤