The Hello, Goodbye Window

The Hello, Goodbye Window is written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Chris Raschka. This book won The Caldecott Medal, and the illustrations are amazing. They are vibrant, lively and entertaining; the narrative is just as uplifting. This book reminded me of my own grandparents which allowed me to form an incredible bond with this little girl. I instantly fell in love with this book; it reminds me of home, childhood, summer, good times and being a kid.



This is a story about a kitchen window located at Nanna and Poppy’s house; the story is told in the voice of their granddaughter. In this curly-headed, little girl’s world, everything good happens near this window, through it or just beyond its view. To her, this is a magical window. This is story about a child’s relationship with her grandparents, and the incredibly imaginative world they create for her. Through vibrant illustrations and adjective-rich details, the reader falls in love with these characters. Although this is a simple story about everyday life, we know that both the little girl’s parents and grandparents are interracial couples; we also learn Nanna is from England. The little girl describes in great details the amazing things she sees through the hello, goodbye window, and the special moments she shares with Nanna and Poppy. It’s a beautifully told story, through a child’s innocent eyes and a moving look at the special relationship shared between grandparents and grandchild.



If you are not familiar with this book, take a look. Both myself and my children love the story; the illustrations are so incredible, it's fun just to look at the artwork.