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Jacqueline Woodson
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Jon J. Muth
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Our Gracie Aunt Hardcover – April 2, 2002

by Jacqueline Woodson (Author), Jon J Muth (Illustrator)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 15 ratings
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Johsnon and his sister, Beebee, seem to be all alone in the world. Their mama has gone away many times before, but something tells them that this time she won't be coming back. Then a social worker comes and takes them to meet their Aunt Gracie. Beebee barely remembers her, and Mama never even told Johnson about her. They wonder where she's been all this time--and why she would want to take care of them. Warily, though, the children begin to trust Aunt Gracie. And in the process, they come to a better understanding of what it means to be a family.
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  1. Reading age
    5 - 9 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Kindergarten - 4
  5. Lexile measure
    480L
  6. Dimensions
    8.5 x 11 inches
  7. Publisher
    Jump At The Sun
  8. Publication date
    April 2, 2002
  9. ISBN-10
    0786806206
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0786806201
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Woodson's (Miracle's Boys) affecting story introduces a boy and girl seemingly abandoned by their mother. "Sometimes my mama went away for a day. Sometimes for a lot of days. That's how it was with our mama," says Johnson. A kind woman appears at the door, explaining that her job "is to make sure little kids get taken care of"; it sounds good to Johnson, but his more cynical older sister, Beebee, warns him the woman means foster care: "It's when you live with somebody that's not your mama." Eventually, the woman drives the siblings to their mother's sister, who is estranged from their mother. Aunt Gracie is as warm and welcoming as her clapboard house with its sprawling porch, flowerbeds and tire swing. Johnson is enchanted by the idyllic setting and by his aunt, who bakes cookies and tucks him in at bedtime, and even Beebee slowly warms up to her. After a visit to their apparently hospitalized mother, who assures them that Gracie will care for them until she is able to, the two return to Gracie's open arms. Muth's (Gershon's Monster) spare paintings, often set as vignettes against a white background, effectively convey the children's sense of isolation and, later, belonging. Muth evokes the characters' emotions and supplies information that Woodson wisely omits from Johnson's narration (the emptiness of the apartment, with the children's spilled glasses and broken toy; the hospital setting). Because of Woodson and Muth's restraint, the rosy qualities of this tale do not impair its emotional truth. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-When a woman comes to their apartment one night, Beebee tells her brother, Johnson, not to open the door. And when she comes back the next morning, asking where their mother is, and how long she's been gone, Beebee says "someplace" and "a few minutes." But, in reality, the children's mother has been gone for days, and Miss Roy is the social worker who eventually takes them to live with their Aunt Gracie. Told in an understated, neutral tone by Johnson, this story packs a powerful punch. Aunt Gracie is loving and warm, and at her house there is always something to eat and a tuck-in every night. Toward the end of the book, the children visit their mother, who says, "Even when a mama loves you, she can't always take care of you." The book concludes with the youngsters having a secure home with Aunt Gracie, and the hope that their mother will eventually be able to take care of them again. This is a sensitive treatment of children entering family foster care. Wistful, subtle watercolor illustrations perfectly suit the bittersweet poignancy of the text.
Anna DeWind Walls, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jump At The Sun; 1st edition (April 2, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786806206
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786806201
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 480L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 4
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Jacqueline Woodson

    Jacqueline Woodson

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    Jacqueline Woodson's memoir BROWN GIRL DREAMING won the 2014 National Book Award and was a NY Times Bestseller. Her novel, ANOTHER BROOKLYN, was a National Book Award finalist and an Indie Pick in 2016. Among her many awards, she the recipient of the Kurt Vonnegut Award, four Newbery Honors, two Coretta Scott King Award, and the Langston Hughes Medal. Jacqueline is the author of nearly thirty books for young people and adults including EACH KINDNESS, IF YOU COME SOFTLY, LOCOMOTION and I HADN'T MEANT TO TELL YOU THIS. She served as Young People's Poet Laureate from 2014-2016, was a fellow at The American Library in Paris, occasionally writes for the New York Times, is currently working on more books and like so many writers - lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Jon J. Muth

    Jon J. Muth

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    In 1999 Mr. Muth started what has been over a decade in children's books. He has received numerous awards and critical acclaim and worked with many talented people. He is the author and illustrator of "Zen Shorts" a Caldecott Honor book, which Kirkus Review described as "Every word and image comes to make as perfect a picture book as can be". He is the illustrator of the anthology, "A Family of Poems", with Caroline Kennedy. His book "The Three Questions" has been described as "quietly life-changing" by The New York Times.

    Muth worked for over twenty years in comics and graphic novels; culminating in the industry's highest honor, an Eisner Award for "The Mystery Play".

    In an interview with the Paris Review, E.B. White once said, "You don't write down for children. You write up." Muth wholeheartedly agrees. "Children are completely capable of intuiting wisdom as readily as adults are... they just may not have the ability to put it into words ... [but] they get this stuff very quickly. Even the kids who come to the book (Zen Shorts) because it has a giant panda tend to come back because there's some itch that's created -- in their minds or in their hearts -- to re-examine what's going on."

    Mr. Muth has had a life long interest in Asian Studies, including tai chi chuan, sumi ink drawing and chado, "the way of tea". His work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and he lives with his wife and their four children in New York.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5
15 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amanda Medley
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet story
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2021
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I read this to my students every year. The story is relatable to some and eye-opening to others. Highly recommend!
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A. Man
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book!
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2019
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Jacqueline Woodson never disappoints! Awesome book to use as inferencing and a very touchy subject that is not discussed much.
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lora theriot
5.0 out of 5 stars Good purchase
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2019
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Good book. Great price.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2012
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I love this book. I am an educator and this book is awesome for read alouds. I would recommend this book.
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ShoeLuvva
5.0 out of 5 stars love, and less of a judgmental eye
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2016
Our Gracie Aunt is a tenderly rendered story about an imperfect and relatable mom who is temporarily unequipped to parent her two children, Beebee and Johnson. Told through the eyes of the youngest of the two, Johnson, Woodson writes with empathy and compassion. Gracie Aunt steps in to dispense the nurture and sensitivity that Beebee and Johnson need when they need it the most. It takes more than a village. It takes forgiveness, love, and less of a judgmental eye. Be inspired by this story. (I read it alone before having my 8yo daughter read it. She selected it on her own from our local library, and I'm so glad she did! She too, loves a good story.) Woodson is an incredible storyteller. I've purchased a permanent copy for my library.
One person found this helpful
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Traci Bold
5.0 out of 5 stars A gentle book about these complexities filled with love and understanding and hope
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2016
A #mustread book about family and the hardships some families have and how they deal with them. A gentle book about these complexities filled with love and understanding and hope.

Written by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Jon J Muth and published by Jump at the Sun Hyperion Books for Children.

#PB #family #love
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KBPaulie
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the book
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2013
A story about a kinship foster placement until mom's ready to get the kid's back again. The 2 children in this story show slightly different emotions, one a bit more hesitant and the other a bit more excited about the change.

Read this to my bio kids in preparation of possibly becoming foster family. It gave me a sense of hope for the children and showed healing can occur.

While I like the book, if I had to choose only one book for foster children, so far my first choice is "Maybe Days"
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