No one knows maps like Nikki — but can she get her family to Grandma's house in time?
Nikki’s family is preparing for a long road trip from Toronto to the Bronx to attend Uncle Travis's wedding. They pack their suitcases, boxes of Jamaican black cake, and most importantly to Nikki, the big map book!
Nikki loves geography and enjoys tracing the routes to all the places her relatives live — her Grandpa in Florida, her cousins in Atlanta, DC, and Boston. She daydreams of England, where other family lives, and Jamaica and Africa, where her roots run deep.
Her attention comes back to the road trip when it’s clear that Daddy’s taken a wrong turn. “I can help!” says Nikki, who proves to be an excellent navigator. She guides them back to the Bronx Expressway, under the elevated subway tracks, onto a street of brown row houses and safely to Grandma’s.
Inspired by the childhoods of author Nadia L. Hohn and illustrator TeMika Grooms, Getting Us to Grandma’s is full of fun historic details — a world before Google Maps! — and authentic cultural moments shared by diasporic families, whose stories can be traced across continents. A fantastic representation of Black girls in STEM.
Key Text Features
Illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
No one knows maps like Nikki — but can she get her family to Grandma's house in time?
Nikki’s family is preparing for a long road trip from Toronto to the Bronx to attend Uncle Travis's wedding. They pack their suitcases, boxes of Jamaican black cake, and most importantly to Nikki, the big map book!
Nikki loves geography and enjoys tracing the routes to all the places her relatives live — her Grandpa in Florida, her cousins in Atlanta, DC, and Boston. She daydreams of England, where other family lives, and Jamaica and Africa, where her roots run deep.
Her attention comes back to the road trip when it’s clear that Daddy’s taken a wrong turn. “I can help!” says Nikki, who proves to be an excellent navigator. She guides them back to the Bronx Expressway, under the elevated subway tracks, onto a street of brown row houses and safely to Grandma’s.
Inspired by the childhoods of author Nadia L. Hohn and illustrator TeMika Grooms, Getting Us to Grandma’s is full of fun historic details — a world before Google Maps! — and authentic cultural moments shared by diasporic families, whose stories can be traced across continents. A fantastic representation of Black girls in STEM.
Key Text Features
Illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Oct 1, 2024 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 9.75 in x 10.75 in |
| Keywords | 20th century; 1980s; nostalgia; how things work; holidays and vacations; discovery and exploration; people and places; far from home; getting lost; journey; teamwork; patience; self-empowerment; self-esteem; confidence; child's perspective; |
| Written By |
NADIA L. HOHN, B.A. (Hon.), B.Ed., M.Ed., M.F.A. is an award-winning educator and author of several books for children including the Malaika series, The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), and A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice. Nadia is an “artivist” who works to make sure that all young people see themselves in books. Based in Toronto, Nadia teaches elementary school and writing for children courses at post-secondary institutions. |
| Illustrated by |
TEMIKA GROOMS is a writer and illustrator with a passion for creating stories for young readers. She grew up reading comics and books by Shel Silverstein and honed her artistic training in traditional fine art. TeMika’s first picture book, Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready! was written by Senator Raphael G. Warnock. TeMika lives on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, with her cat and her two daughters, whom she affectionately calls Thing One and Thing Two. |
| Written By |
|
NADIA L. HOHN, B.A. (Hon.), B.Ed., M.Ed., M.F.A. is an award-winning educator and author of several books for children including the Malaika series, The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), and A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice. Nadia is an “artivist” who works to make sure that all young people see themselves in books. Based in Toronto, Nadia teaches elementary school and writing for children courses at post-secondary institutions. |
| Illustrated by |
|
TEMIKA GROOMS is a writer and illustrator with a passion for creating stories for young readers. She grew up reading comics and books by Shel Silverstein and honed her artistic training in traditional fine art. TeMika’s first picture book, Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready! was written by Senator Raphael G. Warnock. TeMika lives on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, with her cat and her two daughters, whom she affectionately calls Thing One and Thing Two. |
| Audience | ages 3 to 6 / grades P to 1 |
| Key Text Features | illustrations |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 |
An affirming family story featuring a smart young woman.
” —School Library JournalThis sweetly satisfying story about a child saving the day will resonate with young readers while adults will enjoy the nostalgic journey.
” —Youth Services Book ReviewThe paint-like artwork adds an element of a classic picture book feel to a story not seen often.
” —Canadian Children's Book News