I liked this book because it told a relatable touching story that almost any person could pick up and enjoy. This story was bittersweet and at the end it made me want to give my grandmother a phone call. The language of this story was very clear and short. The author uses a lot of figurative language as a tool in the book, for example when talking about her grandmother she says, “her smile grows wide like the Mississippi River”. The writing flows very well and is paced at a good speed. For example (spoiler ahead) at the end of the book we find out that Grandmother has passed away, but there is a slow build up of going to see grandma every day, the noticing grandma isn’t feeling well, grandma getting sick, and then passing away. It was not just a sudden surprise. The point of view is a first-person point of view from the granddaughter’s perspective. The plot is organized and has some tension when the Grandmother passes away, but it mostly is heartwarming and talks about the relationship of a grandmother and granddaughter. The illustrations are warm and nostalgic which help enhance the story to make you feel the characters emotions and relate it back to yourself. The book also pushes readers to think about a difficult topic, death; this book also may be emotional and difficult for some people as they can relate it back to their personal life. The big idea I got from this book is to cherish your loved ones and look back at your memories with them fondly.

I liked this book for many reasons. The first reason was the plot. It was very organized and well paced. I liked that when the grandmother died in the book, it was very abrupt. I think this is important because it shows that sometimes we do not know when we are going to lose people in our lives. Although grief and death are hard topics to discuss, the book pushes the readers to think about tough issues. I like the language in the book a lot. The author uses personification such as, "the sun winks at me". The author also uses similes such as, "her smile grows wide like the Mississippi River". The use of figurative language really makes the book fun to read. I also really enjoyed the illustrations in the book. They were very colorful and really added emphasis to the story. ( )

The young girl in this book has a very special relationship with her grandma. She likes to pick her grandma purple flowers,tell her stories, and bake with her. One day, we see the grandma feeling ill and we find out that she passes away later that night. The girl is very sad, but her mother encourages her to continue playing outside like the many times she walked to her grandmother's house. On the way to the house one day, she spots purple flowers that remind her of her grandmother. Now every time she sees purple flowers, she happily remembers her grandmother's big hugs and giant smiles.
I think the book addresses the passing of a loved one in an appropriate way for a child to understand and relate to. The main character experiences the normal emotions of a child going through the same thing in real life. The character does end the book on a note of happiness for all the memories she has of her grandmother. I hope children see this ending and reflect on their lost loved ones in the same manner. ( )

When I picked out this book I thought that it was going to be a happy book but as you read you realize that it's sad. The book is about a little girl who loves to go to her grandmother's house to spend time together. She always picks flowers for her grandma on her way over. She picks daisies, sunflowers, and purple flowers. One winter her grandma dies and the little girl is left with a broken heart. As spring comes back around the little girl finds happiness in the new flowers that bloom and remind her of her grandma. Even though the book was sad it also showed the reader how sometimes you need to find happiness in the memories left behind by those who have passed away. This was a loving and compassionate story. The illustrations were also very interesting, it seems like the pictures were done with pieces of paper glued together. I enjoyed this heartwarming story of a relationship between a girl and her grandmother. ( )

I like how the book is so realistic to African American culture. The book takes you through the eyes of Hyacinth and the activities she did with her grandmother. This book is written in first person point of view. I also like how the book tells the reader about the day before her grandmothers death and the pain Hyacinth felt. Most children books I have read before do not talk about the child’s personal feelings of pain.

As the book developed the character Hyacinth becomes more understanding of her grandmothers death. Hyacinth starts to relate purple flowers with her grandmother.

I really enjoyed the read and I think it is relatable to a lot of African American children in the south who lost their grandmother. There is a lot of culturally influenced details in the book that I can relate to with my own grandmother. ( )