Grandmas Are Greater Than Great: A Heartfelt Picture Book for Kids (Ages 4-8) About Generations and Family Love

by James Solheim, Derek Desierto (Illustrator)

Millions of grandmas have led to one very, very special and unique person—you! A humorous, animated, and informative look at the lasting power of ancestors. Explore families, generations, and girl power in this heartfelt collaboration between James Solheim and bestselling illustrator Derek Desierto. Everyone has two grandmas, and every grandma has her own two grandmas. This cycle continues going back through time and history. And you needed them all for you to be you! Traveling from generation to generation, this dynamic picture book offers young readers a bird’s-eye view of how daily life has changed over time. But despite all the differences, one thing has remained the a grandma’s love.  James Solheim’s lively text and Derek Desierto’s exuberant illustrations capture the delights and challenges each daughter, mother, and grandma encountered. This rich multigenerational story explores the idea that we are all the product of those who came before us, and it will be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Grandmas Are Greater Than Great includes basic information on exponential growth and a family tree. A gift of a book for every girl to read with her grandma.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

Published February 9, 2021

Reviews

[Norah Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grandmas are Greater than Great tells the child reader that they are unique, that it took ‘grandmas of grandmas of grandmas of grandmas, going back thousands of years’ to make them just who they are. It is an amazing concept. Many children are fortunate if they know their grandparents; even fewer if they know a great grandparent. Thinking beyond those generations to those who came before is not something many of us do. But this book takes us on a journey back through time, through all those ‘great great great great … grandmas’ who helped to make us who we are.
Down through twelve generations and 200 years, Solheim introduces us to the grandmas and how they lived, what they dreamed and even how they behaved as children. Grandmas are not just those old women in black and white photos. They were once babies and children with hopes and dreams, just like us.
Accompanied by Derek Desierto’s beautiful illustrations, Solheim’s book is a history lesson for every child, in a book about ‘me’. While the stories may not exactly match those of the child’s own grandmothers, they encourage the child to wonder about those who came before and what their lives may have been. But I think what it does, even more than that, is it places the child in a family that stretches far into the past, and wide across the world, that creates a sense of belonging, a feeling that their being is not random, that it took all of these people, and more, for them to be who they are, right now, in this moment in time. How reaffirming is that?
A beautiful book to treasure — for all generations.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of grandmothers from long ago to now and what they have done and what they believed and how you came to be what you are. And what they share and do with the grandchildren to empower and love and support the grandchildren. A walk through time and history of families with grandmothers and what they learned and di along the way. A timeline of grandmothers and their challenges contributing to you.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Many grandmas ago...” In a story that highlights all the grandmas that came before, Grandma’s are Greater than Great takes readers back over ten generations all to one mother and her baby. Following the story of how one baby grew up and became another great-grandma, and then another, and another, and another until the new baby. A beautiful book to highlight the joy in knowing your ancestry while also sparking conversation about the woman who came before you.

[Rebecca Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the depth of this story. It told how one child came from many grandma's. History is told through each of their stories in a fun way. I loved the illustrations and how they all looked like real things or fabric. It would be a great book for a grandma and grandchild to read together, and then share about their ancestry. Great for talking about family trees and the strength of women.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young girls, as this book about Grandmas is all about women, will find this look at grandmas many generations back captivating. The “great” in the title refers to the many generations of grandmas as well as how truly wonderful grandmas are in children’s lives. This would make a fun read-aloud with all the “greats” involved as saying the word “great” many times in a row will make for “great” fun.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very unique picture book in that it's exploring the history of a family - back from grandmas of grandmas of grandmas of grandmas. It's a celebration of the uniqueness of a family and how history can impact all of us to some degree. Would be an interesting book to read for a child who's studying their own family tree.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book, but I'm confused about the timeline of this. The second grandma mentioned had "heard of electricity" but "didn't believe in it" and yet it wasn't until several grandma's later that they had a primitive telephone.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 2 out of 5]

7/11/2022 ~ Flat, little characterization. Fails to recognize the diversity present in most families (steps, multiracial, queer, etc.)