A Century for Caroline

K-Gr 2–Great-Grandma Caroline is turning 100 years old, and Jasmine is excited to meet her for the first time. Jasmine and her grandfather embark on a long car ride to attend a birthday party where family and friends have gathered to celebrate. Upon arrival, Jasmine runs to her great-grandmother’s arms and asks how she lived so long. Rather than answering her directly, Great-Grandma Caroline skips a stone across the water and uses several analogies to explain that getting older takes many different things, like being patient, staying determined, and having faith. A birthday party with 100 lit candles ends the day. Digitally rendered illustrations that mimic acrylic painting are featured in spreads. Idyllic in nature, the story shows the ease at which children give love, even to a family member several generations older. Although simple, the story offers some good nuggets of truth for all readers to learn from. “‘Getting old also takes faith,’ she says. ‘You keep showing up, keep trying, keep making the most of the surprises life gives you…day by day.’” Most characters are cued as Black.