Generations United, Washington, DC
"A story that captures the bond between a granddaughter and grandmother and shows how love can live on.... A nice story for sharing."
Booklist (American Library Association)
"Surpasses the definition of a 'children's book'.... A life- affirming, soul-satisfying story that speaks to all ages."
Portland Family Magazine
"A simple, yet moving text and extraordinarily real illustrations.... Both touching and life-affirming.... A celebration of love and continuity, this book will be enjoyed by children, parents and grandparents alike."
Children's Book News
The Something to Remember Me By Legacy Project all began with Something to Remember Me By, a seemingly simple little 32-page picture book about maternal love and legacies across generations. It was inspired by my grandmother (see the "It's a True Story" activity in the Grandparents Day Activity Kit). Since its publication, this book has become a bestseller (especially popular at Mother's Day as a gift for mothers and grandmothers) as it has captured the hearts of children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents across the country. It has also won six national awards, including a Parents' Choice and the Joan Fassler Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Family.
Something to Remember Me By was purposefully written not just as a "children's book" but as an "intergenerational book" -- one that reaches both children and adults (although on different levels) and prompts discussion and sharing between generations. I use the story all the time in workshops I do with adults and children. After reading the story, children usually ask lots of questions. For adults, the story often evokes emotions and memories. The story serves as an intergenerational catalyst.
There's a line that's repeated in Something to Remember Me By: "She gave her a big, warm smile and a warm, snuggly hug." That's what it's all about, right there, in one sentence. That's the timeless essence of the loving connection we all crave. That's what we all need, whether you're a child or a grown-up. Sometimes I think it's just that simple -- and that's why all generations respond to this story so strongly.
Many schools, community groups, and seniors groups/facilities use Something to Remember Me By for discussion and to set the stage for the activities in the Legacy Project kits. You can also use the book as a fundraiser. It's a popular gift book (e.g. Mother's Day, Grandparents Day) for mothers, grandmothers, and children and grandchildren of all ages. Contact The Communication Project (tcp@tcpnow.com or 1-800-772-7765) for more information on the special fundraising discounts available on the book. Something to Remember Me By is also available in Spanish and French.
Activities using Something to Remember Me By follow; there are more activities you can do with the book in the Grandparents Day Activity Kit, the Holiday Activity Kit, and the Valentine's Activity Kit.
Activities: Maternal Love Across Generations; Big Hug Card; Best Memory Notes; Mother Versus Grandmother; All Kinds of Grandmothers; Family Book Reviews; Family Portraits.
Maternal Love Across Generations
Connections: Schools (Language Arts); Families; Community Groups; Seniors Groups/Facilities.
What You Need: Copies of Something to Remember Me By.
Doing It:
Something to Remember Me By is a book children and grandchildren can give to mothers and grandmothers to celebrate the love and legacies passed down across generations. It's a book young and old can cuddle up with and share together. It's a book teachers can use with students -- even teenagers -- to introduce and explore intergenerational themes. The story is also ideal for sharing with older adults in seniors programs, groups, and facilities. It's a story that speaks to the special connections older adults may have with children and grandchildren. If you're reading the story aloud in a large group, pass out copies of the book so that everyone can look at the illustrations.
The following summary of the plot and themes of Something to Remember Me By helps you lead a discussion about the book. Read the story aloud; then invite comments. Ask open-ended questions (e.g. What did you like about the story? What was your favorite part? What did you feel as you read different parts of the story? Why do you think the relationship between the granddaughter and grandmother was important? What are some of the things the grandmother gave her granddaughter? What are some of the things the granddaughter gave her grandmother?). Also encourage personal memories and reflections (e.g. Does the story remind you of anyone you know? What do you do with your grandparents/grandchildren? Do you have any special keepsakes from your parents or grandparents, or keepsakes that you will pass down to your children or grandchildren?).
The pile of photographs on the book's cover sets the stage for the story. The photos follow the relationship between the two main characters -- a grandmother and her granddaughter -- over time. The large, central image captures the affection in the relationship as grandmother and granddaughter playfully rub noses. The bottom, left photo shows the grandmother cradling her newborn granddaughter. Other photos show the granddaughter at various ages sharing a secret, having a heart-to-heart talk, and giving her grandmother a kiss. Two of the top photos show the relationship in the context of other family members -- with the grandfather, and with the girl's mother (another three-generation photo appears in the background on page 9).
The story in Something to Remember Me By follows the characters through different stages of their lives. At first, the granddaughter is a little girl. Then she grows into a teenager. By the end of the story, she is a young woman. At the beginning of the story, the grandmother is an active, involved older adult. By the end of the story, she is very, very old. Researchers describe a person's life course in terms of different stages: infant, child, teenager, young adult, middle-aged, young-old, old-old, and oldest-old (defined as those over 85 years).
More than anything else, Something to Remember Me By is a love story. It's a true story about how precious connections across generations can be, especially as we get older, and the special things that young and old can give each other. In the beginning of the story, it's the grandmother who gives all her love and attention to her young granddaughter. Not only does this build a relationship between the two, but it teaches the young girl how to love and be loved. Children learn about love from the adults around them. As the granddaughter grows older, she reciprocates in the relationship and gives to her grandmother -- not out of a sense of obligation, but out of a feeling of love and genuine caring.
The story begins with the happy times the grandmother and her young granddaughter share (pages 4-9). Grandparents (and other older people) are often able to give children an undivided attention and unconditional kind of love they don't get from other relationships. They make children feel special and allow them indulgences. Some examples from the story: "The little girl could have a snack anytime she wanted" (page 4); "And if she spilled her juice, her grandmother would just wipe it up" (page 4); "The little girl could choose whatever she wanted her grandmother to cook for dinner" (page 6).
One of the story's themes is that the more complicated life gets, the more the simple things matter. It's the little things, the simple moments, that make memories. The text and illustrations show the simple things grandmother and granddaughter do together -- arts and crafts, read books, play games, bake cookies, go for walks, take care of errands and chores, talk, watch television. And, of course, there are lots of the grandmother's big, warm smiles and warm, snuggly hugs!
Memories are another theme in the story. One of the best ways to evoke memories is through the senses, particularly taste and smell. So many memories for people involve food. Research shows that many intergenerational memories are made in the kitchen, which is why the book starts with a sunny, warm kitchen scene. The kitchen is often the center of family life. Baking something simple together like cookies (even if you use a mix) is a common intergenerational activity. Family get-togethers often involve special foods, and children enjoy being able to participate in preparations ("grandmother and granddaughter would get ready for a party for friends and relatives" -- page 7).
As the story progresses (pages 10-15), many of the visits end with the grandmother's familiar words, "I want to give you something to remember me by." Then she gives her young granddaughter a small keepsake. This becomes a little tradition, a ritual between grandmother and granddaughter. As happens with most children, not all the gifts are to the granddaughter's taste ("that tablecloth was the one thing the girl thought was really ugly" -- page 13). But, the granddaughter is polite ("she took it and said 'thank you' as always").
An important theme in the story is the give-and-take between generations. Each generation has something to offer the other. At the beginning of the story, the grandmother obviously gets enjoyment from her granddaughter's company. At the same time, she is the one doing most of the conscious giving (e.g. her time, her undivided attention, the small keepsakes). On pages 16-17, she still gives (i.e. attention through her pride in her granddaughter's accomplishments; the needlework cushion keepsake), but we begin to see a shift in the relationship. The granddaughter makes a point of keeping in touch and makes her grandmother happy through frequent telephone calls.
Pages 18-23 are the turning point in the story. The granddaughter clearly and consciously gives to her grandmother. The grandmother is older now and can't do many of the things she once did. Life has brought its changes. The granddaughter supports her grandmother through the major life change of moving from her home. She listens to her grandmother's concerns. She provides comfort and hope in the seemingly small gesture of giving her grandmother the photograph. It is here that the idea of being "remembered" is reversed. Even the layout of pages 22-23 is the exact reverse of pages 10-11. The passing along of the final, major keepsake -- the cedar chest -- symbolizes the major shift in the relationship and the flow of life from one generation to the next. There is a sense of connection to something bigger, to the past and to the future.
When the granddaughter visits her grandmother on pages 24-27, the grandmother isn't well and is very, very old. When the grandmother doesn't recognize her granddaughter, the granddaughter expresses understandable emotions of surprise and sadness. The grandmother later has a moment of seeming recognition. These are the moments of joy you hold on to.
The granddaughter comes to understand at a very personal level what she didn't understand earlier, on page 15 -- what it means to be remembered. We all need to feel like our life matters, that we are important to someone. Whether we are old or young, a basic human need is the need to be loved and to leave a legacy.
Through flowers to brighten her grandmother's room and holding her grandmother's hand, the granddaughter provides small but very important comforts. There is a heartfelt echo from earlier in the story: "You're the best grandmother in the whole world." If you love someone, that doesn't change. The message in the well-worn photograph is that the granddaughter was very important to the grandmother. That is the sort of comfort that both children and adults can hold on to.
On pages 28-29, the granddaughter realizes that although she will always treasure the keepsakes (there's even a perspective shift with age as the tacky tablecloth becomes something treasured -- not because of its intrinsic beauty, but because of what it meant to the grandmother), the most precious gift her grandmother gave her was her love -- and the happy memories it created (represented by the photos on the floor). The keepsakes and the photos also symbolize the spectrum of gifts one generation gives to the next -- from material objects to life experiences and wisdom. And there's a continuity to life as the old cedar chest now sits at the foot of a new bed. Things change, but they also stay the same in some ways.
The final image of the smiling granddaughter (pages 30-31) symbolizes much more than a physical similarity. The granddaughter has her grandmother's "big, warm smile," meaning that who her grandmother was -- loving, warm, full of life -- has, in part, made the granddaughter who she is. The grandmother will always be with her granddaughter. The grandmother's love lives on, and both grandmother and granddaughter are part of a much bigger life connection.
There are some "teachable moments" that frequently come up when I'm sharing the story with children. Many children ask why the characters in Something to Remember Me By don't have names. This can open a discussion about the book's focus on relationships rather than personalities, and about seeing yourself in a story (children can even try reading the story by inserting their own or a friend's name). It's also a good opportunity to explore different literary approaches. Many of the children's books listed at the end of this kit have characters with names, while others don't (see the "Read & Discuss" activity in the Start With Story section of the Grandparents Day Activity Kit for examples).
When many children read page 15 in Something to Remember Me By ("The girl didn't quite understand"), their immediate response is that they understand. This can open a discussion about what "being remembered" means and the concept of legacy. What is a legacy? Children can look up and compare definitions of the word "legacy" in various dictionaries (in general, the definition of a "legacy" is "a gift left behind" or "something handed down"; the whole idea of legacy is that what is passed to you, you then pass on to the next generation). What, exactly, does the grandmother mean on page 15? How and why are legacies important to both the people who pass them down and the people who receive them? What are the different ways to remember someone? Why do you think it's important to remember people like our parents, grandparents, and others who have come before us? Why do you think it's important to them to be remembered? In general, why is it important to remember people from long ago? What can learning about them teach us? What legacy would you like to pass along to your children and grandchildren?
The last line on page 29 is, "Her grandmother had given her much more than would ever fit in the cedar chest." What does this mean? What else did the grandmother give her granddaughter? This part of the story can open a discussion about all the things parents and grandparents give us. Sometimes what they give is material. Sometimes they give their time and attention. Sometimes they tell us stories that let us know about our ancestors or teach us about life. What have you learned from your parents, grandparents, or other older adults you know?
For discussion points to use the story to discuss aging and the cycle of life, see the Ages & Stages section in the Grandparents Day Activity Kit.
Poet William Stafford once said that the power of stories is that they are about "discovering what the world is trying to be." Something to Remember Me By is about a world in which young and old can build strong, loving connections and create meaningful legacies.
Big Hug Card
Connections: Schools (Art); Families; Community Groups.
What You Need: Sheets of white paper; 11 x 17 inch colored construction paper (or tape together two 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets); pencil; pencil crayons and/or markers; scissors; tape; glue.
Doing It:
There's a line that's repeated in Something to Remember Me By: "She gave her a big, warm smile and a warm, snuggly hug." Hugs are a way to show love, and a way to make people feel loved and cared about. But do you know that research shows that the older people get, the fewer hugs we give them? We give teenagers fewer hugs than toddlers, and older adults fewer hugs than young adults. Everyone needs a hug sometime. So, go ahead, give someone a hug!
Here's a hug card that makes a great gift for a parent or grandparent (especially a grandparent who may not live nearby). You can also use the card as a gift for older adults in an assisted living facility or grandfriends participating in an intergenerational program.
Start by taping two sheets of white paper together end-to-end so that you have a single, long sheet. Lay your hand (fingers spread apart) and arm down on the paper so that the fingertips of your hand are close to one end of the sheet of paper. Have someone help you trace around your hand and up both sides of your arm, from one end of the long sheet of paper to the other. Tape another two sheets of white paper together and trace your other hand and arm in the same way.
Cut out the arms and hands. Tape the arms together so that it looks like outstretched arms ready to give someone a hug (make sure the thumbs on the hands both face up).
Now write a message along the arms (e.g. "Here's a BIG Hug for You!" or "I Love You THIS Much!"). You can also decorate the arms and hands with hearts, flowers, and other drawings. Don't forget to put "To (name)" somewhere and sign it "Love (your name)."
Fold a large sheet of colored construction paper in half to make the outside of the card. Decorate the front of the card in any way you wish.
Open up the card and glue the "end" hand (i.e. hand that falls at the end of your message) thumb up into the center of the right-hand side of the card. Finally, carefully accordion-fold the arms until one hand stacks on the other and you can close the card without any of the arms peeking out.
The Valentine's Activity Kit has another design for a "Hug Card" (see the Story Steppingstones section) along with recommended storybooks about hugs.
Best Memory Notes
Connections: Schools (Language Arts); Families; Seniors Groups/Facilities; Community Groups.
What You Need: Copies of the note cards -- "Remember", "Memories", and "My Best Memory of You"; pen; scissors. Optional -- pencil crayons and/or markers; copies of Something to Remember Me By.
Doing It:
I wrote Something to Remember Me By based on my fond memories of my grandmother. Memories are one of the most precious legacies passed down across generations.
When people give Something to Remember Me By as a gift to someone they love, they often include a short note with the book with their own special memories. The three note cards supplied here are sized to fit inside the book (cut them out along the thin line). You can slip one of the cards into the front of the book when you give it as a gift to a child, grandchild, mother, or grandmother. You can also use the note cards on their own, as a gift in themselves. For example, many older adults in care facilities value the opportunity to complete the note cards (on their own or with some help) to give to their children and grandchildren as "something to remember them by."
The "Remember" and "Memories" note cards are a "Top 10" list. Make a copy of the one you want to use and fill it in. If you wish, you can color the border of the note card.
"Remember" is designed to be used by a grandparent or parent to give to a child or grandchild (young or grown). List the top ten things you would like them to remember -- special times you've spent together, significant events in your lifetime, life advice, your favorite sayings, or whatever you identify as the most important memories you would like them to hold on to in the years to come. The thought you put into creating a carefully selected list will be treasured by the recipient.
"Memories" is designed to be used by a child or grandchild (young or grown) to give to a parent or grandparent (e.g. a mother or grandmother for Mother's Day). What are the top ten things you will always remember about the person? Choose vivid, specific recollections of events, things you've done together, things they've said to you, or things you've learned from them.
The "My Best Memory of You" note card is a more focused version of the "Memories" note card. It has blank lines to write a single, short, specific anecdote about your best memory of the person. If you're giving the note to your mother or grandmother, what's the absolute best, most defining memory you have of her? Maybe it's something she said to you, something you did together, or some important advice about life she's given you. Maybe it's a family trip or tradition, or something she taught you like how to bake her famous pies. Was there one time in particular when she really came through for you? Is there one incident that defines your relationship? Often, people are surprised at what you feel is the most important or the best memory you have of them (they may not even remember the exact moments that you remember). But you'll be surprised at how much sharing these kinds of thoughts can mean to a person.
Mother Versus Grandmother
Connections: Schools (Language Arts, Art); Families; Community Groups.
What You Need: Copies of "Mother" and "Grandmother" sheets; pen/pencil; pencil crayons and/or markers. Optional -- family photographs; scissors; glue.
Doing It:
What's a mother? What's a grandmother? What's the difference? Is a grandmother really a grand-mother? These are questions children can explore on their own or in an intergenerational group. They can also create special "Mother" and "Grandmother" keepsake pages.
There are a couple of different ways to answer the questions above. One way to answer them is from an "etymological" perspective. Etymology is the study of the origins of words. The etymology of a word is its linguistic history. Over time, languages evolve. There are slow changes in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar that occur naturally over long periods of time. One language may split into two different but related languages when speakers are separated by physical or cultural barriers for extended periods. Linguists divide the languages of the world, past and present, into various language families. English belongs to a family of languages called the Indo-European Language Family, which includes Greek, French, Russian, Hindi, German, Irish, and many other tongues of Europe and Asia.
In its long history, the word "mother" has always meant what it means today. The farthest back it has been traced as an English word is to about 500 AD, the very beginnings of English itself: in Anglo-Saxon times the word was "moder" or "modor" or "moddor" (the use of the "th" in English instead of the original "d" probably dates back to the 1500s). It had been brought over to England by the Anglo-Saxons from northern Europe, where similar words existed in other Germanic languages; these words have become the modern words "moeder" (Dutch), "Mutter" (German), and "moder" (Swedish). But the roots of the word go back even beyond Germanic. The Germanic languages and most other languages of Europe, and many from southern Asia, all derive from a single, now lost language known as Proto-Indo-European. Because just about all languages derived from Proto-Indo-European have words very similar to our "mother," they must have inherited the same original word. When you compare "mater" (Latin), "mater/meter" (Greek), "mati" (Slavonic), "mathair" (Irish), and "matr" (Sanskrit), they are all very different languages but are all derived from Proto-Indo-European.
Unlike the word "mother," the word "grandmother" is not a direct descendant of an Anglo-Saxon word. The word used back then was "ealdemoder" or "eldmoder," with the prefix that gave us the modern word "old." But "oldmother" never made it into modern English because in the Middle Ages, after the Norman invasion of England, French culture was all the rage. The French prefix "grand," derived from a Latin word for "big" or "great" and used in the French word "grand-mère," was adopted into English. So, the resulting word "grandmother" is a blend of two words with very different histories: "grand" from medieval French and Latin, and "mother" from Old English and Germanic.
So, that's the etymological perspective on "mother" and "grandmother." Another way to distinguish the two concepts is through personal experience and observation. What's your mother like, or what are other mothers you know like? What's your grandmother like, or what are other grandmothers you know like? What's the difference between your mother and your grandmother? In general, our relationships with our mothers and grandmothers are quite different; for one thing, relationships with our grandmothers tend to be far less psychologically complex than our relationship with our mother.
Read some storybooks about mothers and grandmothers (see the suggested book lists in the "Family Book Reviews" activity below) to compare the ways that mothers and grandmothers look, the things they do, and the way they are portrayed.
Now that you've thought a bit about mothers versus grandmothers, use copies of the "Mother" and "Grandmother" sheets to create a special gift. How is your mother or grandmother a good mother or grandmother? What makes her special? What does she mean to you? Fill in the blanks on the sheets to describe your mother or grandmother. Use each letter of the word (e.g. "M is for my marvelous mom", "O is for how outstanding she is", etc.).
Finish off a sheet by drawing a picture of your mother or grandmother in the square, or gluing on a photograph of her. If you wish, you can color the border of the sheet.
Extension: Find out what the words for mother and grandmother are in other languages and make a collage of decorated names. A good online resource for word translations is www.itools.com/lang/#trans. For example, other words for mother include moeder (Dutch); Mutter (German); moder (Swedish); mère (French); matka (Polish); madre (Italian and Spanish); mãe (Portuguese); anya (Hungarian). Other words for grandmother include babcia (Polish); grossmutter (German); halmonee (Korean); ya-ya (Greek); oba-chan (Japanese); popo (Chinese); nonna (Italian); abuela (Spanish); grand-mère (French); avia (Latin).
A great book for discussion with older children and teenagers is Generations of Women: In Their Own Words by Mariana Cook. It combines handsome family portraits with excerpts illuminating the perspective of each generation of woman pictured -- sometimes spanning five generations in a single family.
All Kinds of Grandmothers
Connections: Schools (Language Arts); Seniors Groups/Facilities; Families; Community Groups.
What You Need: Copies of books suggested below; paper; pen/pencil.
Doing It:
Something to Remember Me By shows one kind of grandmother. The grandmother in the book is very much like my grandmother; I called her Baba (which is Ukrainian for grandmother). But there are all kinds of grandmothers. And grandmothers today are different than grandmothers of decades ago. How have grandmothers changed? What are grandmothers today like?
This is a good discussion activity for an intergenerational group (e.g. older adults talking about their grandparents years ago and children talking about their grandparents today), or a topic children can explore on their own.
Read and compare some of these storybooks that have grandmothers as main characters (complete annotation for each book appears at the end of this kit): Peacebound Trains by Haemi Balgassi; Gifts by Jo Ellen Bogart; Something to Remember Me By by Susan V. Bosak; Dancin' in the Kitchen by Frank P. Christian; Bigmama's by Donald Crews; The Disappearing Island by Corinne Demas; Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola; Abuela by Arthur Dorros; Grandmama's Joy by Eloise Greenfield; Bubbe & Gram by Joan C. Hawxhurst; Grandma Gets Grumpy by Anna Grossnickle Hines; Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman; Two Mrs. Gibsons by Toyomi Igus; Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles; My Grandma's The Mayor by Marjorie White Pellegrino; Mimi's Tutu by Tynia Thomassie; Liliana's Grandmothers by Leyla Torres; Grandma Without Me by Judith Vigna.
Two particularly good books for exploring grandmother diversity are Our Granny by Margaret Wild and Grandmother's Alphabet by Eve Shaw. A good book for discussion with teenagers is For She is the Tree of Life: Grandmothers Through the Eyes of Women Writers edited by Valerie Kack-Brice.
Complete this activity by making two lists on a sheet of paper (or writing on a blackboard) under two columns: "How Grandmothers are the Same" and "How Grandmothers are Different." Which column ends up having more under it?
Family Book Reviews
Connections: Schools (Language Arts); Families; Community Groups.
What You Need: Copies of "What's Family? Book Review" sheet; pen/pencil; copies of books suggested below.
Doing It:
Read and discuss a variety of picture books to explore different themes related to family. I've come across many good picture books with intergenerational themes. You can find a complete annotated bibliography at the end of this kit (and there are other bibliographies at the end of the other activity kits that are part of the Something to Remember Me By Legacy Project). Picture books are an art form that can be used with all ages, toddlers to teenagers. For teenagers and adults, a picture book is often a concise, compelling vehicle to introduce topics, motivate discussion, and stimulate further thought and investigation.
Suggested picture books with family themes appear below. After reading a book, fill in the "What's Family? Book Review" sheet. Doing a book review and discussing books enables children to systematically explore many different themes related to family and develop a more sophisticated understanding of the concept of family. To complete the book review sheet, children start by filling in the title of the book and the name of the author and the illustrator (recognizing that a book is written by an individual, from their perspective, is important, as is recognizing that books are illustrated by different people, with different artistic styles). The next step is identifying the main characters in the book and their relationship (e.g. "Sarah and her grandmother Margaret" or, if the characters don't have names, "a grandmother and her young granddaughter"). Writing a concise summary of a story helps children remember and understand the story, and is a useful skill in itself. Then, the book review sheet ties the story to the reader's own experience. How is the story like the child's own family? How is the story different from the child's own family? For example, the story may be about someone who is adopted. A particular reader may not be adopted (which is how their family is different from the story) but everyone in their family helps each other out (which is how their family is like the story). Identifying both similarities and differences helps children appreciate diversity. Finally, what does the story help a reader understand about family -- theirs in particular, or the concept of family in general? What does the story make you think about? What do you know now that perhaps you hadn't thought of before?
Individuals can read several books and complete a book review on each. Or, each person in a group can be assigned a book, do a review, and then everyone can share their reviews. The book review sheet can also be used by an intergenerational group to structure discussion. The sheet and the list of books below can even form the basis for an ongoing intergenerational book club.
Here are some suggested books, loosely grouped into general categories related to different family relationships (the complete annotation for each book appears in the Storybooks section of this kit):
Mothers: By the Dawn's Early Light by Karen Ackerman; Momma, Where Are You From? by Marie Bradby; Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman; My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray; Seven Brave Women by Betsy Gould Hearne; Two Mrs. Gibsons by Toyomi Igus; Tell Me a Story, Mama by Angela Johnson; Mom Pie by Lynne Jonell; A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza; Ma Dear's Aprons by Patricia C. McKissack; Love You Forever by Robert Munsch; In My Momma's Kitchen by Jerdine Nolen; Monster Mama by Liz Rosenberg; When Mama Gets Home by Marisabina Russo; A Pillow for My Mom by Charissa Sgouros; This Is the Bird by George Shannon; When Mama Comes Home Tonight by Emily Spinelli; I Speak English for My Mom by Muriel Stanek; Me & You: A Mother-Daughter Album by Lisa Thiesing; Mimi's Tutu by Tynia Thomassie; A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams; Grump by Janet S. Wong; A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert; This Quiet Lady by Charlotte Zolotow.
Grandmothers: Peacebound Trains by Haemi Balgassi; Gifts by Jo Ellen Bogart; Something to Remember Me By by Susan V. Bosak; Dancin' in the Kitchen by Frank P. Christian; Bigmama's by Donald Crews; The Disappearing Island by Corinne Demas; Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola; Abuela by Arthur Dorros; Just Right Stew by Karen English; The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy; Tanya's Reunion by Valerie Flournoy; Grandmama's Joy by Eloise Greenfield; Bubbe & Gram by Joan C. Hawxhurst; Grandma Gets Grumpy by Anna Grossnickle Hines; Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman; Two Mrs. Gibsons by Toyomi Igus; Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles; My Grandma's The Mayor by Marjorie White Pellegrino; Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan; Mimi's Tutu by Tynia Thomassie; Liliana's Grandmothers by Leyla Torres; Grandma Without Me by Judith Vigna.
Fathers: Through the Night by Jim Aylesworth; My Dad by Anthony Browne; Castle of Books by Bernard Clavel; Room for a Stepdaddy by Jean Thor Cook; Daddy Will Be There by Lois G. Grambling; Your Dad Was Just Like You by Dolores Johnson; Like Jake and Me by Mavis Jukes; A Special Kind of Love by Stephen Michael King; In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers by Javaka Steptoe; As the Crow Flies by Elizabeth Winthrop; Always My Dad by Sharon Dennis Wyeth.
Grandfathers: The Two of Them by Aliki; The Magpie Song by Laurence Anholt; A Day's Work by Eve Bunting; Dear Annie by Judith Caseley; Grandpa's Face by Eloise Greenfield; Grandaddy and Janetta Together by Helen V. Griffith; Tambourine Moon by Joy Jones; Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr.; Waiting for the Whales by Sheryl McFarlane; Gus and Grandpa by Claudia Mills; Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate by Carol Diggory Shields.
Siblings: Za-Za's Baby Brother by Lucy Cousins; Big Sister, Little Sister by Marci Curtis; Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep by Joyce Dunbar; Tell Me What It's Like to Be Big by Joyce Dunbar; She Did It! by Jennifer Ericsson; She Come Bringing Me That Little Baby Girl by Eloise Greenfield; A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban; With My Brother/Con Mi Hermano by Eileen Roe; Brothers and Sisters by Ellen B. Senisi; Big Sister and Little Sister by Charlotte Zolotow.
Parents/Family: Black Is Brown Is Tan by Arnold Adoff; The Biggest Bed in the World by Lindsay Camp; Mama & Papa Have a Store by Amelia Lau Carling; It's Going to be Perfect! by Nancy L. Carlson; You Are My I Love You by Maryann Cusimano; Black, White, Just Right! by Marguerite Davol; How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman; Do I Have a Daddy? by Jeanne Warren Lindsay; Missing Rabbit by Roni Schotter; Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing.
Adoption/Family: How I Was Adopted: Samantha's Story by Joanna Cole; Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis; Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale by Karen Katz; I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose A. Lewis; Aunt Minnie McGranahan by Mary Skillings Prigger; Allison by Allen Say; Lucy's Family Tree by Karen Halvorsen Schreck; The Best Single Mom in the World: How I Was Adopted by Mary Zisk.
Grandparents/Extended Family: Big Wind Coming! by Karen English; Robert Lives With His Grandparents by Martha Whitmore Hickman; Down the Winding Road by Angela Johnson; Aunt Flossie's Hats and Crab Cakes Later by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard; What's in Aunt Mary's Room by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard; All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan; Hope by Isabell Monk; A Birthday Basket for Tia by Pat Mora; When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant; If the Shoe Fits by Gary Soto.
General Family: A Far-Fetched Story by Karin Cates; Hairs/Pelitos by Sandra Cisneros; Love Is A Family by Roma Downey; Family Pictures/Cuadros de familia by Carmen Lomas Garza; In My Family/En mi familia by Carmen Lomas Garza; Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron; Families Are Funny by Nan Hunt; The Animal Family by Randall Jarrell; Erandi's Braids by Antonio Hernández Madrigal; His Mother's Nose by Peter Maloney; Red Bird by Barbara Mitchell; Family by Isabell Monk; The Always Prayer Shawl by Sheldon Oberman; Families Are Different by Nina Pellegrini; The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco; The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant; Wool Gathering: A Sheep Family Reunion by Lisa Wheeler; Homeless by Bernard Wolf; Big Meeting by Dee Parmer Woodtor.
Family Portraits
Connections: Schools (Art); Families; Community Groups; Seniors Groups/Facilities.
What You Need: Photograph of the person you're drawing a portrait of; large sheet of drawing paper; pencil; eraser; ruler; pencil crayons and/or paint. Note: If you're using paint, make sure you go to an art/craft store and purchase a suitable type of paper (e.g. watercolor paper if you're using watercolor paints).
Doing It:
People can spend thousands of dollars getting a portrait painted of themselves. But sometimes a portrait created by someone they love can mean more than one done by a professional artist. Create a portrait of mom or grandma to give her for Mother's Day.
As you get better at drawing, create a portrait of each person in your family -- siblings, parents, grandparents -- and hang them together to create a "family portrait gallery." You can even make portraits of several generations of, for example, women in your family, going back as far as you have photographs. Making family portraits creates a keepsake and helps young people get to know their family and the features passed down across generations. Older adults can also try their hand at creating portraits of their children, grandchildren, or young visitors in an intergenerational program. My father, for example, is in his late seventies and greatly enjoys drawing and painting. He recently took some watercolor painting classes and is getting quite good!
Laurie McGaw is the illustrator and portrait artist who created the illustrations in Something to Remember Me By. The illustrations in the book are actually watercolor "portraits" of a real family. Can you see a family resemblance in the illustrations? Laurie did a search for models to find three generations from one family she could use for the book. She chose grandmother Maureen Viegener; her 7-year-old granddaughter Melissa Tratt (for the young granddaughter in the book); her 11-year-old granddaughter Sarah Tratt (for the slightly older granddaughter); and her daughter Mary Anne Tratt (for the grown-up granddaughter). Laurie took rolls and rolls and rolls of photographs of the real people, and then used the photographs to create the illustrations.
Look through several photographs of your portrait subject's face before you start drawing. Choose the photo you would like to recreate for your portrait. Choose a full-face, frontal view (rather than a profile view).
Before you start drawing, familiarize yourself with the general rules of thumb for standard facial proportions:
- The eyes are halfway between the top of the head and the chin.
- The bottom of the nose is halfway between the eyes and the chin.
- The mouth is halfway between the nose and the chin.
- The corners of the mouth line up with the centers of the eyes.
- The top of the ears line up with the center of the eyes.
- The bottom of the ears line up with the bottom of the nose.
These standard proportions will help you place facial features and find their orientation. But keep in mind that these are only general guidelines. Even very small differences in a person's nose or eyes, for example, is what gives them their unique individual appearance.
Study the photo you're using for your drawing. Examine each of the key facial features -- eyes, nose, mouth, ears. Where are they positioned? What do they look like? What shape are they? What interesting lines or folds do they have?
Using a pencil, start by drawing an oval on your sheet of paper. The oval should be the size you want the final face to be, or a bit smaller. Leave room at the top of the sheet for hair and at the bottom of the sheet for a neck and shoulders. The bottom of the oval should reflect the jaw line of your subject (i.e. is it square, rounded, pointy?).
The next step is to make a very light pencil grid to help you locate facial features (you'll erase the grid when you're finished drawing). Follow the sample illustration, making adjustments to match the face of your subject. To start the grid, draw a light horizontal line at the top of the oval and another at the bottom of the oval. Then draw a horizontal line midway between the first two lines to divide the oval in half. This is the line on which you draw the eyes, which are roughly the shape of a football.
