In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came. When they arrived, they hugged and hugged from the kitchen to...
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Nov 26, 2011
Deana
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The whole family is together again, which adds to the already big family. Dinner gets complicated and the family has to eat in shifts. There is not enough food for all to have a good helping. Bedtime and sleeping gets complicated when there are piles of people everywhere in every bed in the house. Even though there's a big mess of family all over the place, there is a lot of love and hugs.
The pictures are vibrant and full of many colors. The lines on the page outline the main object More...
The pictures are vibrant and full of many colors. The lines on the page outline the main object More...
May 01, 2010
Brooke
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Summary: From School Library Journal
The title of Rylant's exuberant tale is an understatement, for when "those relatives" came, they came en masse and they came for an extended stay. Their anticipation at seeing kin during their long, long drive and finally hugging them "against their wrinkled Virginia clothes" set the tone for this welcome family reunion, a visit that never wears thin. The relatives are depicted as a support system to help a fatherless family with all More...
The title of Rylant's exuberant tale is an understatement, for when "those relatives" came, they came en masse and they came for an extended stay. Their anticipation at seeing kin during their long, long drive and finally hugging them "against their wrinkled Virginia clothes" set the tone for this welcome family reunion, a visit that never wears thin. The relatives are depicted as a support system to help a fatherless family with all More...
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Oct 27, 2009
NS Kelley
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I really enjoyed this story. It is a about a large family who live in two different places. They come to visit each other once a year. The author starts out the book describing one family (from Virgina) packing up their things and piling into a car together to drive all day and night to see the other part of their family. Once they arrive they are so estatic to see each other that they can't stop hugging or talking with each other. It talks about how they make room to house both families. The au
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Sep 22, 2009
Bridget
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Sep 05, 2009
Suzanne
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In this story, one family is making a trip to visit another. It is told from the perspective of a family member on the receiving end of the visit, referring to the visitors as the relatives.
The artwork is illustrated with light shading using colored pencils of cool and warm colors. Overall the combination of the value and mixture of hues, gives the pictures a joyful mood. On closer examination, the artist’s use of color extends the text, by allowing the reader to imagine related scene More...
The artwork is illustrated with light shading using colored pencils of cool and warm colors. Overall the combination of the value and mixture of hues, gives the pictures a joyful mood. On closer examination, the artist’s use of color extends the text, by allowing the reader to imagine related scene More...
Jul 13, 2009
Heidi
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I'm sorry, but this one just wasn't very enjoyable for me. I'll chalk one up for it being a very SMELLY copy of the book. So hard for me to really enjoy a book when I'm wincing from awful odors. The pictures were a little confusing to me at times, but I think that was to go along with how much uproar comes with visiting families. I also couldn't help (at least at the beginning) wondering if they were saying something about Virginians. Maybe that's just me.
What I did like about the b More...
What I did like about the b More...
Oct 17, 2011
Kelley
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Critique-Picture Book/Caldecott Honor Book
This is a story about when a family’s relatives come to visit and how families can be both challenging and rewarding. The theme of family is one that most students can relate to. There is the excitement of seeing family members that do not often visit, or live far away, but it can also be overwhelming and different when all these people are in one place. This story addresses the joy of getting together with family from far away, but also the d More...
This is a story about when a family’s relatives come to visit and how families can be both challenging and rewarding. The theme of family is one that most students can relate to. There is the excitement of seeing family members that do not often visit, or live far away, but it can also be overwhelming and different when all these people are in one place. This story addresses the joy of getting together with family from far away, but also the d More...
Oct 07, 2009
(NS) Panagiota
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The Relatives Came is a story about a family from Virginia who packs their bags and takes a summer trip to visit family. Upon arrival family members hug one another and are overfilled with joy to reunite. Their days are spent fixing broken things, gardening, eating strawberries and melons, and spending time together. When it is time to return home, they are sad and realize how much they will miss one another. However, the family is comforted by the fact they will see each other again next s
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Jan 27, 2012
Brittany
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The Relatives Cameis one of my favorite books from my childhood. I can remember having a unit on Cynthia Rylant in elementary school. This book follows the "relatives" on their journey from Virginia to visit family in another state, possibly Ohio since that is where Rylant is from. Once in Virginia there is lots of hugging when the family finally arrives as well as laughing, eating and talking. The relatives stayed for "weeks and weeks" and helped around the house with whatev
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Oct 14, 2009
Jessica
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The Relatives Came
by, Cynthia Rylant
1. Brief Summary
This book is about a summer full of visiting from Relatives that live in Virginia. The book was very descriptive of what the family did. The family did things such as eat yummy food, play games, fix broken things, they had picnics, and also played music for weeks and weeks. Even though they were sad to leave at the end of the summer, they always new that next summer they would be doing it again.
2. Potential Audien More...
by, Cynthia Rylant
1. Brief Summary
This book is about a summer full of visiting from Relatives that live in Virginia. The book was very descriptive of what the family did. The family did things such as eat yummy food, play games, fix broken things, they had picnics, and also played music for weeks and weeks. Even though they were sad to leave at the end of the summer, they always new that next summer they would be doing it again.
2. Potential Audien More...
Oct 07, 2009
Katie
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1. Summary: The relatives come from Virginia to visit over the summer and stayed for weeks and weeks. There were so many people in one house! The story describes in detail about the visit. All summer they tended the garden and ate up all the strawberries and melons. They plucked banjos and strummed guitars. When the relatives finally had to leave, they were sad, but not for long – they all knew they would be together next summer.
2. reading levels: Transitional reader.
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2. reading levels: Transitional reader.
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Mar 02, 2010
This lively book reminds the reader of family vacations in the car, to how much fun they have with their family. A warm story of just being with family and enjoying the togetherness brings a smile to the readers face.
The illustrations in this book look as though they were done with colored pencils. The pictures are very smooth in texture but they show a lot of detail. The colors are very light in this book which leaves the reader relaxed and calm while reading the book. The detai More...
The illustrations in this book look as though they were done with colored pencils. The pictures are very smooth in texture but they show a lot of detail. The colors are very light in this book which leaves the reader relaxed and calm while reading the book. The detai More...
Jun 21, 2010
Yue
rated it: 
This is a very good book for children around three to six. The topic of this book is very uncommon which is about relatives. Children learn how to get along with the visiting relative from this educational book.
The illustrations in this book are drawn by crayons with rich colors. The illustrator use big color lump to paint the background, such as grassland, mountain, and the sky; the color in these parts are always monotonous and cold. On the contrary, the main characters are very bright More...
The illustrations in this book are drawn by crayons with rich colors. The illustrator use big color lump to paint the background, such as grassland, mountain, and the sky; the color in these parts are always monotonous and cold. On the contrary, the main characters are very bright More...
Feb 01, 2011
Ohhhh that Cythnia Rylant writes such beautiful children's literature. This book is written with so much love and passion and I believe students can sense this passion. This reminds me of Wondrous Words by Ray and how she pushes her students to study the work of Rylant because she feels so familiar with all her work. Even though this book was written in the 1980's, and it would see as though it is outdated, it's underlying message of family is just as strong today as it was decades ago. I am alw
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Mar 09, 2009
Amy
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Summary: This fictional tale of relatives coming for a visit is told in a first person narrative style. The name or gender of the narrator is unknown. The illustrations feature a boy or girl, perhaps allowing the reader to decide who is telling the story. The action-packed illustrations compliment the text, giving a detailed picture of the words on the page.
Audience: K-2
Uses in the classroom: Read-aloud and discussion for early elementary. Text could be used in guided or More...
Audience: K-2
Uses in the classroom: Read-aloud and discussion for early elementary. Text could be used in guided or More...
Nov 26, 2011
Olivia
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This is a familiar book that we all know from reading The Book Whisper. Cynthia Rylant most famous book. This is a book about family. It is good to read during the holidays when students are seeing more family members at that time.
An activity that could be done with this book is the students get to write about their family coming to town or going to see family members. This activity allows students to connect with something they know and love, family. It gives them instant motivation to wr More...
An activity that could be done with this book is the students get to write about their family coming to town or going to see family members. This activity allows students to connect with something they know and love, family. It gives them instant motivation to wr More...
May 01, 2010
Sarah
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Title: The Relatives Came
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Year of Publication: 1993
Grade level: 2-4
Genre: Picture Book
Topic: Family
Summary: An old station wagon full of relatives come for a visit in the summer. They all have fun visiting, eating, hugging, and being together.
Interactions Between Text and Illustrations: Colored pencil illustrations support the text More...
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Year of Publication: 1993
Grade level: 2-4
Genre: Picture Book
Topic: Family
Summary: An old station wagon full of relatives come for a visit in the summer. They all have fun visiting, eating, hugging, and being together.
Interactions Between Text and Illustrations: Colored pencil illustrations support the text More...
Nov 05, 2009
Michelle
rated it:
Summary:
In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came. When they arrived, they hugged and hugged from the kitchen to the front room. All summer they tended the garden and ate up all the strawberries and melons. They plucked banjos and strummed guitars. When they finally had to leave, they were sad, but not for long. They all knew they would be together next summer.
illustrated by Stephen Gammell_Anon
Potential Audience (Reading le More...
In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came. When they arrived, they hugged and hugged from the kitchen to the front room. All summer they tended the garden and ate up all the strawberries and melons. They plucked banjos and strummed guitars. When they finally had to leave, they were sad, but not for long. They all knew they would be together next summer.
illustrated by Stephen Gammell_Anon
Potential Audience (Reading le More...
Sep 27, 2008
I like that they're going to visit someone. I like the old station wagon and the food that they have and the way they sleep.
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Dec 30, 2011
Karen
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I use this book when I introduce the comprehension strategy, schema. I have a lot of personal schema for this book having lived overseas. We definitely were the relatives that came every summer as we moved in with our family for weeks on end. Some of my best memories come from the times we spent with my sister at the lake. Ten people sleeping in a 19 foot trailer! So this book has been great for modeling schema. All of my students also have been, either the relatives that came to visit or
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Oct 06, 2011
Amanda
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This is a book for 2nd to fourth graders. It is about a large family from Virginia who packs up in the station wagon to go visit family in the summer.They all have fun visiting, eating, hugging, and being together. The color and illustrations portray the craziness and interaction of the relatives.I think some of the illustrations are intersting. I think there are families that are big and crazy like that. I think it is a little irrational for the family to stay all summer and for them to be slee
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Sep 23, 2009
Miranda
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The detailed illustrations in this book help to convey the sense of chaos that occurs when ALL of the relatives come for a visit, and also the sense of quiet when they are gone. Kids with large, close-knit families will appreciate the story for its honest look at those long family visits, but children without such a background may not be able to appreciate or understand such family dynamics. The book could likely be read without the words and convey the story effectively, but Rylant's attentio
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Jul 22, 2009
Josiah
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In some respects, this book reminds me a bit of Cynthia Rylant's "When I was Young in the Mountains".
Cynthia Rylant does a great job of totally immersing the reader of "The Relatives Came" into the world of this one particular extended family, making us feel as if we, too, have a genuine part to take in the festivities. The sense about the book is realistic, and I can personally identify with having many, many relatives that surround a person once or twice a year, and More...
Cynthia Rylant does a great job of totally immersing the reader of "The Relatives Came" into the world of this one particular extended family, making us feel as if we, too, have a genuine part to take in the festivities. The sense about the book is realistic, and I can personally identify with having many, many relatives that surround a person once or twice a year, and More...
Mar 02, 2009
Shannon
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Reading level- k-4
Genre- Picture Book
Topic-Family visits
Social-Families influences on one another who visit from different places
Curricula Use-read aloud
Literary Elements-symbolism
Text and pictures- humorous illustrations which help to tell the story and set the mood.
Summary-Relatives from Virginia come to visit. They are different and teach the narrators family a lot. They are crazy and fun and they all develop a great relati More...
Genre- Picture Book
Topic-Family visits
Social-Families influences on one another who visit from different places
Curricula Use-read aloud
Literary Elements-symbolism
Text and pictures- humorous illustrations which help to tell the story and set the mood.
Summary-Relatives from Virginia come to visit. They are different and teach the narrators family a lot. They are crazy and fun and they all develop a great relati More...
Sep 28, 2011
Natalie
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The colorful pictures and the colorful caricatures of characters make this story a winner. The creatively shaded pastels used in the illustrations gave the story a warm feel to it. The words related the writer's warm thoughts towards her relatives. A great story to use for perspective. The perspective of a litle girl tells the story of relatives that come from Virginia every summer to visit. The happy, helpful relatives have really found a place in the main character's heart. A great story with
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Sep 22, 2009
Katie
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This book also has pictures that are painting art. The pictures are very well drawn and detailed. The story of the book is easy to read. I liked this book when I was younger. Kids can relate to this book because everyone has family come over at certain times of the year. They have big dinners and sleep in on couches and share beds. For a lesson I would have my children draw a picture of their favorite family member other than their parents or siblings. Then write why they are their favorite? Hav
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Apr 06, 2011
Alexa
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Everyone can relate to the overcrowded, crazy, and loud visits from relatives or friends. The excitement for visitors is a connection students can make to the text. One way students can connect is when visitors come to the room; students are excited to see who will be walking through the door. This is a great text for emotional connections as well as for looking at writer's craft. The story starts with the relatives coming to visit, but then at the end they leave to go back home. The story opens
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Sep 23, 2009
I like this book. It’s a good story about family and things families do when they get together. It has some great literary value. One word that I noticed in particular that young children might not know is ice chest. A teacher could use this as an opportunity to help students draw conclusions of what an ice chest is and what one would put in an ice chest. A teacher could also do a small geography/traveling lesson on this about mountains and Virginia, different forms of transportation. Lastly, th
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Dec 25, 2011
Ellie
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I have been reading-and rereading-The Relatives Came repeatedly over the past week. Cynthia Rylant's prose is like simple poetry both lyrical and humorous. It has been a pleasant release from the stress of the holidays. I've read a number of other similar books as well by other authors this week but this was the one that "worked" for me.
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Dec 07, 2007
Carter
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I really liked this book. The writing is quite nice. Take for example, the grapes will soon be "purple enough to pick." Just say that little bit in quotes aloud and you'll see what I mean. It just rolls off the tongue. The illustrations are done with colored pencil and quite funny. There's one scene where all the relatives are sleeping in the room and you see Grandma sucking her thumb, curled up like a little kid, and the dog sleeping on the floor with its legs straight up in the
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