Enter Our Grandparents Day Giveaway
We're giving away a signed print by acclaimed children's author Lane Smith
by Sherri Lerner
THE DEADLINE FOR ENTERING THIS GIVEAWAY HAS PASSED.
Read on to learn how you can win a signed, matted print by Lane Smith, or one of three autographed copies of his acclaimed new children's book, Grandpa Green, courtesy of Smith and Roaring Brook Press.
Prepare to be surprised by the latest book from Lane Smith, author and illustrator of the bestsellers
It's A Book and, with Jon Scieszka,
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, and
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.
Grandpa Green, published in August by Roaring Brook Press, is a completely different, completely original family tale, and one that's uniquely told.
In the story of a young boy whose grandfather may be losing his memory,
Grandpa Green looks at aging through a child's sympathetic and sensitive eyes. Grandpa Green, a horticulturist whose topiary garden is shaped by his memories, teaches his grandson about his past through the impressive landscape he's created.
Grandparents.com recently interviewed Smith about his inspiration and goals for his new book.
Grandparents.com: Grandpa Green is such a turnaround from your other books, and from the style your readers are so familiar with. What inspired you to write it?
Lane Smith: I had wanted to do a book for a while on generations, and passing on links and stories from generation to generation. A garden seemed a more visually interesting way to do it. It was also a good way to incorporate the ticking of time … in a rush to get everything done as he ages, the grandfather leaves possessions behind that the grandson collects along the way.
GP: What kind of memories do you have of your own grandparents?
LS: When I was a boy, my grandparents all lived in Oklahoma, while I lived in California. We would come out to Oklahoma once a year to see them. When I think of my grandparents, I think of all the classic traditions — like fishing and feeding the chickens.
GP: Grandpa Green is as much a book for adults as it is for children. Was that your intention?
LS: Grandpa Green is a book for both adults and children. It's a helpful way for parents to talk to kids about passing on family stories, or about aging in general. Maybe kids who are going through the experience of watching a grandparent age will find some comfort in it.
GP: How was writing this book different than working on something like The Stinky Cheese Man?
LS: Because it has a serious tone, and all of my other books are more humorous, I was unprepared for people's emotional response and ability to relate to the story. But while the book is serious, readers will still find some humor and references to familiar children's stories.
GP: There's definitely a Hansel and Gretel element to this story.
LS: Yes. As the boy makes his way through the garden his grandfather has created, and through his grandfather's life as well, he collects his grandfather's forgotten tools, leading him eventually to his grandfather. The tools provide a series of visual jokes to add whimsy to the story.
GP: How did writing this book affect you?
LS: At 52, probably more than halfway through my life, I find myself looking back more, at touchstones in my life. If I was a gardener, this would be a great way to document them. By creating this garden, Grandpa Green is handing his grandson a living, breathing garden of memories.
I love this book because it gives the boy a chance to see that his grandfather was more than just an old man who can’t remember things. He had a life, career, dreams. And the best part is, he created the memories himself, through topiary.
How to Enter the Giveaway
Roaring Brook Press and Lane Smith are giving away three autographed copies of Grandpa Green, and a signed print from the book, to lucky Grandparents.com readers. One Grand Prize winner will receive the matted print and one autographed copy of the book. Two runner-up winners will each receive one autographed copy of the book.
To enter: Send your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number to: grandpagreen@grandparents.com. Entries will be accepted through September 20, 2011. Winners will be selected at random and notified by email.
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