Title: The Hello, Goodbye Window

Author: Norton Juster

Illustrator/Photographer: Chris Raschka

Publisher and Year: Michael Di Capua Books, 2005

Number of pages: 29 pgs

Tags: Olivia Simkins, Picture Book, Award Winner, Realistic Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

A little girl has a special window at her Nanna and Poppy’s house. At this window all the special things happen, like, making funny faces to have a T-Rex visit! This story is told from the little girl’s perspective. It is also a winner of the Caldecott Award.

This text can function as a mirror to some readers. They may be able to connect to the story because it could remind them of the time that they visited their grandparents or all the different things that they do when they go to a relative’s house. The illustrator depicts a multicultural family in this book, which I think can benefit the readers because some may come from a biracial family as well and it can help them connect on a deeper level. Since the text is from the littler girl’s point of view it is helpful to read this to a younger age group because it talks about how it is okay to feel different emotions at the same time. For example, she is happy to go home because she missed being with her parents, but she is sad too because she doesn’t want to leave her Nanna and Poppy. I think this is a good thing to share with younger children because they could be going through major life changes and may not understand how to cope with some of the emotions they may be feeling.

The illustrations have a lot of thick lines to show the intensity of the emotions the little girl has for her Nanna and Poppy. She is always saying wonderful things about them and the lines help support that. The little girl is usually placed at the bottom of the page compared to her grandparents, who are usually at the top of the page. This is showing that the grandparents have a higher power than she does and it also shows that the grandparents should be seen as an authoritative figure. Throughout this book it is mentioned about some of the things she can and can’t do. I think the ideology that is presented in this book is to make sure children follow their guardian’s rules.