Roberts, Justin The Great Henry Hopendower, PICTURE BOOK. Putnam (Penguin),
2017. $17.
Henry
loves his grandfather, who teaches him there is magic all around us. When he
grandfather is no longer around (as shown by an illustration of grandpas empty
house), Henry must learn to find the magic on his own. He gathers up all his
magic gear into his grandfathers suitcase and puts on a magic show for his
stuffed animals and animal friends. When he reaches into his top hat, its empty
and Henry must find the magic all around and within himself.
This
is a very gentle story about grief and moving on with a message of magic in the
everyday. It’s a sweet and subtly sad story. Its told in an out of order way,
skipping back in time to memories of the past, which I think will be very
confusing for young readers. I wonder about students understanding the message
of the ending, how the leaves falling can be magic but his hat was empty, or
worrying if there was a missing rabbit.
EL(K-3)
–OPTIONAL. Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author
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