As Sis slept in the back of the car next to him, Lil Alan
worried and worried.
They were on their way to Granny’s house on the family farm,
going to Daddy’s side of the annual family get-together, and
everybody’d have something to share for this year’s
celebration. Sis would sing a song for Granny. One of Lil
Alan’s cousins had made a scrapbook. Another boy was reading
a story aloud.
Everyone had something, but Lil Alan’s hands were empty.
Still, he had time to think.
When they got there, all the adults were laughing and
slapping backs and giving out hugs; the women had been
cooking for days and everything smelled delicious for the
feast. Daddy fired up the tractor and took Lil Alan and his
cousins out for a ride on the farm that had been in the
family for a long, long time. Daddy’s Pa had been proud of
the land and its crops, and so was Daddy, and Lil Alan, too.
When Sunday morning rolled around, Lil Alan’s hands were
still empty and so was his heart. At church, he heard more
family stories as everyone worshipped together, but he was
sad that he still hadn’t come up with something to share.
Back at Granny’s house, he thought about what he was going
to offer at the celebration as he looked at a wall full of
old pictures of grandparents and great-grandparents. He
thought of his family’s land and the people who cared for
it. He remembered stories of folks before them.
And then he knew. Lil Alan did have something to
share.
It was right in front of him all along…
Much like a lazy summer afternoon, Going Down Home with
Daddy unwinds at a leisurely pace, covering a mere
weekend but starting with a restless car ride.
Since your child may be looking forward to this summers’
family reunion, that may seem like an odd place to begin but
this book isn’t just about a reunion: author Kelly
Starling Lyons and illustrator Daniel Minter wrap the event
around a warm family tale that feels like being snuggled in
a soft blanket. Even the youngest kids will understand Lil
Alan’s struggle for meaning, the comfort of knowing that
you’re loved, the goodness of being surrounded by family,
and the strength of knowing where you came from.
Whether your family is next door or half a world away, this
book is great for the four-to-seven-year-old who loves them.
Isn’t it time, then, to put that kid and Going Down Home
with Daddy together?
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