What they’re saying about Grandmother, Have the Angles Come?

“This touching dialogue comes to life with sunny and swirly illustrations of the two smiling Latino characters and the various outdoor settings. A great book for teaching young children to respect and understand the differences between their own young, growing bodies and the changes they will see in their elders.”

-- The Crimson Review

"The topic of aging can be difficult to explain to a young child but is discussed here with sensitivity and great tenderness. The illustrations create a visual experience with the use of bold vibrant colors swirling across the pages. The love felt between the grandmother and her granddaughter are well expressed not only in the text but visually through the illustrations. The text is rich in descriptive phrases that enhance the imagination and call up memories of a loved one: "...see your beauty reflected in the dewdrop on a flower", "savor flavors long on my tongue ", "stroke your cheeks in the light and in the darkness". This is a joyful book that reaffirms the beauty in living a long life and the love between generations."

-- Judge for CAL Awards

“Vega...manages to convey an acceptance of a stage in life that many Americans are loathe to embrace...Lyrical and warm...”

-- School Library Journal

"The affection that pours from the pages is strong and believable."

 -- Publishers Weekly

“I like the book’s positive approach to aging and eventually dying. Aging (and by extension dying) is seen as a gift from the angels – something to be treasured rather than dreaded. Each page permeates with the affection the grandmother has for her granddaughter. The vibrant colors and swirls help intensify the emotions.”

 -- Muhammed Hassanali

“...one of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a long, long time…[it] captures the wide-eyed curiosity young children…and pulls the heartstrings in that indeciperable way that transforms a simple children’s book into an all-time classic...This one isn’t just a must for your granddaughter’s library…it truly is a must for your own.”

-- by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, Young Adult (and Kids) Books Central, www.yabookscentral.com

“...a joyful meditation on growing old as seen through the eyes of a young girl...This is a book to treasure.”

- Annie, Crazy for Kids Books

“Combining the wisdom of age with the curiosity of youth, this book is a delight. Beautifully illustrated with scenes celebrating nature -- the sun, butterflies, clouds, wind, orchards of fruit -- the pages vibrantly excite the imagination, pulling the reader into cosmic mysteries unspoken.”

-- Newsvine

“Using lyrical verses and symbolic imagery, author Denise Vega touches on the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter and explores the mysteries of aging. …With amazing wisdom and love, the Grandmother answers the questions in a unique, reassuring way.”

-- Brimful Curiosities

“Each page has a great rhythm and this is easily a good read-aloud book. I recommend it, and once you have read, I believe that you will too.”

-- Creative Madness

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WINNER!

2009 Living In Color Literary Award
for best Children’s picture book

2010 COLORADO BOOK AWARD
for Children’s Literature

2010 COLORADO TOP HAND AWARD
for Children’s Book-length Fiction
 

GRANDMOTHER, HAVE THE ANGELS COME? was selected as a 2010 Américas Award Commended Title

GRANDMOTHER, HAVE THE ANGELS COME? is included in the Reading Is Fundamental 2009 Multicultural Library Booklist, which provides more than 400 multicultural children’s book collections to elementary school classrooms in low‐income communities throughout the United States.

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GRANDMOTHER, HAVE THE ANGELS COME? is also included in the Favorite Kids' Books of 2009 list for Hoover Library in Hoover, AL. 

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