Gracie - Hardcover

Robin Ballard, was born in Los Angeles and attended the Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. After several years in Washington, D.C., she now lives with her husband and sons in Switzerland. Ms. Ballard has written many popular books, including I Used to Be the Baby, When We Get Home, and My Day, Your Day.

PreSchool-Grade 2-A quiet, reassuring book about a little girl whose parents live apart. As Gracie describes the special times that she shares with each of them, her sadness at parting from one is followed by her happiness at being reunited with the other. While the separation is dealt with superficially, the book's simplicity is part of its appeal. Ballard's colorful pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are cheerful, engaging, and reflect the positive tone of the text. Kathy Stinson's Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Anymore (Annick, 1984) deals more effectively with a child's emotional response to divorce, and Marc Brown's Dinosaurs Divorce (Little, 1988) covers the subject more thoroughly, but Gracie is still a suitable choice to share with young children.
Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, TX
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.