Caldecott Book #2

The Hello, Goodbye Window was written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Chris Raschka. It won the Caldecott medal in 2006.

There were many things that I enjoyed about this book. For one the family portrayed in this book is multiracial. However, it is never mentioned. This could lead into a discussion with with children how families can be different. The illustrations are unique because they look like a child created the illustrations with the simplistic lines, squiggles, and bright colors. The text is also very descriptive such as when the child describes the kitchen and its contents.

I couldn't find much to not like about this book. One part of the story was when the child helped her Nanna in the garden. She explained that there was a tiger that lived behind the bush in the back. She didn't explain it and I was quite confused why it was there. Maybe the author was trying to capture a child's wild imagination.


This book brought back my childhood memories of times with my grandparents. Luckily, I still am fortunate enough to have all of my grandparents to spend time with. As a high school student, I wrote a sensory poem that reminded me of this book. I described what I saw, tasted, smelled, touched, and heard while looking outside in at my grandmother's kitchen.


This book would be a great read during grandparent's day festivities. I learned from this book that children are appreciative and value the small traditions or acts of love of their families. Traditions can easily be made. For example in the book, when people come to visit they wave hello as they pass by the kitchen window and blow kisses as they leave. That's how the window became the hello, goodbye window. Children do enjoy those special family traditions. It's made me think about the traditions I would like to start once I start having children.


The author, Norton Juster, also wrote the book "The Phantom Tollbooth." This book is unlike "The Hello, Goodbye Window" in many ways. For example, is that this book is not a picture book and has 272 pages and is geared towards 9-12 year old children. This is a chapter book. It's admirable that an author has the versatility to write picture books as well as chapter books.