I Already Know I Love You FROM OUR EDITORS
Comedian Billy Crystal serves up an ode to a grandparent's love in this gentle, poetic picture book illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles. Glowing with warmly colored scenes of a man imagining special moments with his unborn granddaughter, Crystal's tale begins with an exclamation of joy -- "I'm going to be your grandpa! I have the biggest smile. I've been waiting to meet you for such a long, long while" -- and continues with similarly enthusiastic musings until the very end. Along the way, Grandpa and his sweetie-pie have fun watching "butterflies and monkeys and clown who cross their eyes," and he dreams about introducing her to the stars, the moon, and other natural wonders he wants to share. For Grandpa, movies hold a special interest ("I took your mom to her first movie. I want to take you, too. That will be a special day devoted just to you"), along with baseball and family history, interests that evidently rank high on the author's own list of favorites. But whether or not everyone shares Crystal's love of wontons or ice-cream pie, no one can fail to pick up on his message of joyful expectation. The perfect gift for both seasoned grandparents and those who are new to the game, this book provides an interesting perspective on love between the generations.
ANNOTATION
A grandfather dreams of all the things he will do with his new grandchild.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Billy Crystal is one of America's best-loved comedians. In his debut as a children's book author, Crystal bases on his own experience the cavalcade of feelings that comes with being a grandfather for the very first time.
From the new baby's arrival to rooting together for the Yankees, this grandpa just can't wait. Lush and dreamy pastels by accomplished artist Elizabeth Sayles complement this heartfelt text, complete with Billy Crystal's trademark sense of humor.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Comedian Crystal's unabashedly sentimental poem to his first grandchild rather clumsily starts on the opening endpapers, where the verse begins, "I'm waiting to see you in ballet shoes or is it football pads?" and concludes, "I can't believe I'm writing this, 'cause I don't know who you are." The rhyming narrative that follows echoes this hypothetical tenor ("I'm waiting to show you everything,/ hear your giggles and your sighs,/ see butterflies and monkeys/ and clowns who cross their eyes"), as Sayles's (This Mess) softly focused, emotion-filled pastels reveal a devoted grandfather and a girl-as an infant, toddler and elementary schooler. They engage in such activities as playing in the waves, sharing a strand of spaghetti, watching a baseball game and (reinforcing the narrator's unremitting affection) enjoying a variety of hugs. The verse's rhythm and rhyme at times falter and several passages are awkward (a picture of the narrator gazing upon his newborn grandchild in a hospital nursery accompanies this text: "Your mom is my daughter,/ and your dad is his mom's son./ You lived within your mommy,/ but now the time has come./ Get ready, sweet little one-/ your life will be just great"). Yet Crystal's name and the inherent appeal of his theme should put this in the spotlight on the grandparent/baby gift bookshelf. All ages. (Apr.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
PreS-K-As a grandfather-to-be anticipates the birth of his grandchild, he expresses excitement for all of the special moments and activities he can't wait to share: bear hugs, the ocean, a Yankees game, a movie. The rhyming text is basic and yet effective. Crystal manages to come across as sincere rather than sappy so that the special nature of this intergenerational relationship shines through. As the narrator imagines the future, the soft pastel art depicts the baby nestled snuggly in Grandpa's arms. Other pictures show the wide-eyed red-headed child getting older, her grandpa and a fuzzy stuffed monkey by her side. The longevity and importance of this family relationship is thus visually supported and celebrated. After readers see and hear about all of the enjoyable events that will occur, the book comes full circle and ends with the birth of the child, "Get ready, little sweet one-/your life will be just great./I'm going to be your grandpa, and-/I can hardly wait."-Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Another celebrity author misses his audience. Undistinguished soft pastels help to tell the rhyming story that begins by depicting a graying man listening at the bulging womb of a young woman (his daughter) and stating, "I'm going to be your grandpa!" Picture-book readers will not identify with the adult perspective and the logic of activities, which has the child sliding into bases and later reverting to bouncing on Grandfather's knee. Young readers will also have difficulty relating to the idea that grandfather is waiting as the baby (sometimes a boy and sometimes a girl, sometimes big and sometimes little) is already in the pictures. And the rhymes are just atrocious. A much better choice would be Harriet Ziefert's Waiting for Baby (1998). (Picture book. 4-8)
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