FICTION

Getting Us to Grandma’s

by Nadia L Hohn (text) & ­illus. by TeMika Grooms
Groundwood. Oct. 2024. 32p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781773066899.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2–A young Black girl and her family travel to New York City from Toronto for a family wedding in the early 1980s. The family relies on a road atlas to make their way. Nikki is anxious to follow the route, but her older brother has a firm grip on the atlas. Gazing out the window, Nikki reflects on the global connections that are part of her family, with roots in Africa, Jamaica, and beyond. Eventually, everyone but Nikki and her father fall asleep, and as they near New York City, Nikki helps her father when he misses his exit. This is a pleasant reminiscence more than a story. The illustrator makes the most of familiar road trip sights with shifts in lighting, perspective, and scenery.
VERDICT An affirming family story featuring a smart young woman showing off her solid map skills.
Reviewed by John Scott , Aug 01, 2024

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