School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-The day of Grandpa Jack's funeral feels like the saddest day of Hope's life. After the service, she will never see him again. Then her Aunt Poogee helps her recall a fond occasion of blackberry picking with her grandfather, and she takes comfort in knowing that he will always be inside her heart and in her memories. The textured paintings nicely depict the child's emotions. Useful bibliotherapy for children dealing with the loss of a loved one.-Ajoke T. I. Kokodoko, Oakland Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In the third tale starring the heroine introduced in Hope, Blackberry Stew by Isabell Monk, illus. by Janice Lee Porter, Hope mourns the passing of her Grandpa Jack, but shared family memories help sustain her. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Hope has trouble accepting the death of her grandpa Jack until her aunt Poogee teaches her that she can hold onto him through her memories of their time together. Though the writing is overly purposeful, this story adequately portrays a child's coming to terms with a relative's death. The textured illustrations feature a close-knit African-American family. A recipe is appended. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Grandpa Jack has passed away, and his half-African-American, half-white granddaughter (from the team's earlier Hope, 1999) doesn't want to attend his funeral because she's afraid she'll never see him again. Aunt Poogee can still see Grandpa Jack: "I can see us fishing on the river for hours, catching nothing but a cold," she says, and reminds Hope of a glorious day of blackberry picking. The story turns to that day of buckets, a garter snake, the ensuing screams, a friendly snake primer from Grandpa Jack, and Aunt Poogee's "gooey-good" blackberry stew (recipe in the back). Sure enough, Hope sees Grandpa Jack in her mind's eye, "like he was standing right in front of me" and learns that he will live on in her memories. The lesson is overstated, especially near the end, when Hope rather stiffly recites her new insights before heading to the funeral. But children who have experienced the loss of a loved one may be comforted nonetheless. Porter's rich, textured paintings, with their distinctive use of line, are warm and lively. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
PreS-Gr. 2. Grandpa has passed away, and Hope is sad. In her first-person narrative, she tells what it's like when relatives, especially Grandpa's sister Aunt Poogee, gather to remember. When Hope confides she's despondent that she'll never see Grandpa again, Aunt Poogee reminds her of all the good times they had with Jack. Then she closes her eyes and sees him holding Hope, fishing, and picking blackberries. Soon Hope can see him, too, and recalls a blackberry-picking excursion that started before dawn and was almost spoiled by a garter snake before ending with an enticing blackberry stew. Hope's realization that a loved one gone is still alive in memory will touch children who are going through a similar experience. Porter's warm family scenes are executed in thickly applied paints that give heft to the memories, which seem more real than the events that are being played out. An uplifting book that ends with a delicious blackberry-stew recipe to tie things together. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2005 Booklist
