The Tub Grandfather

Tub People

by Pam Conrad, Richard Egielski (Illustrator)

When the Tub Child discovers his missing grandfather asleep under the radiator, the whole Tub family rallies to wake him up.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

29 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Pam Conrad (1947-1996) was an author for children. Her book Our House: Stories of Levittown was a Newbery Medal finalist.

Ms. Conrad was born in New York City and graduated from the New School for Social Research.

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the wistful, surreal, and a bit melancholy feel of this unusual story. Sometimes I'd like to take a long nap under the radiator.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

After he is found under the radiator, Grandfather has trouble snapping back to his old self again.
Luckily, the kids have an idea of what to do.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two things that won me over--the clever rug and Grandpa still likes lying on his side.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not nearly as charming as the first one. is the grandfather a representation of dementia? Alzheimer's? Why is the Policeman's first impulse to arrest him?

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book and the first one (The Tub People) were loaned by a friend, wondering what I thought of them. This one takes the toys to a different level, more action possibilities because they’re now out of the tub, and in a bedroom. Grandfather is found under the radiator during a ball game. He takes some time waking up, finally joining the group because of some music. Through imagination, it reminds me of the stories I used to see my children playing with the old Fisher-Price little people. They, those little round-headed people, seemed quite real in the play. Interesting book.

[Janet Luch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book in the tub people series. The tub grandfather was lost under the radiator for so long that spider webs grew around him and dust settled on him. When the tub child found the grandfather he was unresponsive but in the end began to dance with the tub grandmother as the radiator whistled. That night there were eight tub people lined up along the windowsill, although the tub grandfather still likes to sleep laying down.
This story helps a child answer the question "What happens to toys that are lost?". A youngster's imagination can help them make up a story about their toys.

[Drew Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tub People is a book I have known and definitely remembered (and even loved though I was older than the target reader) all these years after being introduced to it as a kid, but only now do I discover that there's an explanation for who the Grandfather is and what happened to him. It's a perfect sequel/prequel to the original, as gentle and charming and at once emotionally subtle and effective.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follow-up to The Tub People. Little community of 7 wooden people (toys) find an older wooden man who won't open his eye or talk to them. They try everything they can think of; Grandma finds the solution.

[Lauren]

While playing ball, a Tub Child discovers his grandfather asleep beneath a radiator with one eye rubbed off and the other tightly shut. The Tub People discover love and warm memories are required to wake the Tub Grandfather from his Rip Van Winkle-like slumber.

[Sharonta Johnson]

This is a great book for morning circle. This ia great way to start the day with a question by only reading half the book and have the students predict how they wake tub grandfather.