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The Hello, Goodbye Window
"That's the Hello, Goodbye Window.
It looks like a regular window, but it's not"
The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it.
Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood. It is also a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild.
Norton Juster is an architect (retired), a teacher (retired) and a grandfather (just warming up), as well as a writer. He is the author of the classic children's book The Phantom Tollbooth and the mathematical romance The Dot and the Line. The Hello, Goodbye Window is his first picture book.
Chris Raschka is the writer and illustrator of the HBFC titles Happy to Be Nappy, Little Tree, Be Boy Buzz and Skin Again, as well as the Thingy Thing series, which he wrote and illustrated. Raschka's Yo! Yes? is a Caldecott Honor Book.
It looks like a regular window, but it's not"
The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it.
Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood. It is also a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild.
Norton Juster is an architect (retired), a teacher (retired) and a grandfather (just warming up), as well as a writer. He is the author of the classic children's book The Phantom Tollbooth and the mathematical romance The Dot and the Line. The Hello, Goodbye Window is his first picture book.
Chris Raschka is the writer and illustrator of the HBFC titles Happy to Be Nappy, Little Tree, Be Boy Buzz and Skin Again, as well as the Thingy Thing series, which he wrote and illustrated. Raschka's Yo! Yes? is a Caldecott Honor Book.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
25 people are currently reading
2,812 people want to read
About the author
Norton Juster
27Ìýbooks1,130ÌýfollowersNorton Juster was an American academic, architect, and writer. He was best known as an author of children's books, notably for The Phantom Tollbooth and The Dot and the Line.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,524 reviews
May 31, 2018
Wow, I loved the art work in this story. It really worked for me. I also enjoyed the story. I had an explosion of warmth in my heart from the opening page.
This one window in her grandparents house was special. It was the focal point of the house and where all the memories of her grandparents happened. You see who is coming and going and you welcome in the morning and tell the stars goodnight.
There is something sentimental for me about children and grandparents and I don't know why that is today. Both books I read to the kids ended up being about that.
The kids loved this book too. They were engaged with the story and I could tell they were focused on it.
I Love this story. I'm so glad I found it.
This one window in her grandparents house was special. It was the focal point of the house and where all the memories of her grandparents happened. You see who is coming and going and you welcome in the morning and tell the stars goodnight.
There is something sentimental for me about children and grandparents and I don't know why that is today. Both books I read to the kids ended up being about that.
The kids loved this book too. They were engaged with the story and I could tell they were focused on it.
I Love this story. I'm so glad I found it.
July 3, 2013
Although I'm a huge fan of Norton Juster, I was disappointed with this book. The drawings looked to be done by a child, and while the illustrator might have done that on purpose, it was a little too abstract to make much sense of. Each page looked the same to my kids, and my 5 yr old was only half-heartedly interested in following along. The premise was a good idea, but not enough meat behind it for a good stable book.
August 23, 2011
The Hello, Goodbye Window by , illustrated by, is a sweet story about a child and her grandparents, and one of her memorable visits with them, focusing on their kitchen window.
"Nanna and Poppy live in a big house in the middle of town. There's a brick path that goes to the back porch, but before you get there you pass right by the kitchen window. That's the Hello, Goodbye Window. It looks like a regular window but it's not."
The window remains central to the granddaughter's description of her time with her grandparents. In the morning, she and her grandparents look at the garden, check out the weather and greet the day. The day includes biking, gardening and playing with the hose. When the sun sets the window is a reflecting mirror. At night, the lights are turned off and one can look at the stars through the window. The window can also be used for hide & seek and making funny faces, plus waving hello or goodbye.
"Nanna says it's a magic window and anyone can come by when you least expect it." The child then goes on to imagine the Queen of England and T-Rex stopping by. Stories, music and learning a postive attitude all occur with the grandparents.
Love, family, and being a part of something magical are all themes well described by Juster in this effective, evocative tale of inter-generational relationships.
The illustrations reflect the magical, dreamy nature of the story and appear to be created by a child. This style is just not my cup of tea, since I prefer a much more realistic representation of people. In particular the pictures of Poppy show him with an odd shaped head, at times showing a very small top of his head, as on the cover, and at times having a nose that dominates his entire face. The heads of the girl's parents are also huge. I found such details to distract me from the story, which I like. I admire the artistry of the technique making these illustrations look childlike, but found it to take away from the overall effect of the story for me.
The illustrations are memorable in depicting the grandparents and parents as multi-racial couples, a fact not mentioned in the story.
For ages K to 3, grandparents, interracial relationships, imagination, family, love, magic, and fans of Norton Juster and Chris Raschka.
"Nanna and Poppy live in a big house in the middle of town. There's a brick path that goes to the back porch, but before you get there you pass right by the kitchen window. That's the Hello, Goodbye Window. It looks like a regular window but it's not."
The window remains central to the granddaughter's description of her time with her grandparents. In the morning, she and her grandparents look at the garden, check out the weather and greet the day. The day includes biking, gardening and playing with the hose. When the sun sets the window is a reflecting mirror. At night, the lights are turned off and one can look at the stars through the window. The window can also be used for hide & seek and making funny faces, plus waving hello or goodbye.
"Nanna says it's a magic window and anyone can come by when you least expect it." The child then goes on to imagine the Queen of England and T-Rex stopping by. Stories, music and learning a postive attitude all occur with the grandparents.
Love, family, and being a part of something magical are all themes well described by Juster in this effective, evocative tale of inter-generational relationships.
The illustrations reflect the magical, dreamy nature of the story and appear to be created by a child. This style is just not my cup of tea, since I prefer a much more realistic representation of people. In particular the pictures of Poppy show him with an odd shaped head, at times showing a very small top of his head, as on the cover, and at times having a nose that dominates his entire face. The heads of the girl's parents are also huge. I found such details to distract me from the story, which I like. I admire the artistry of the technique making these illustrations look childlike, but found it to take away from the overall effect of the story for me.
The illustrations are memorable in depicting the grandparents and parents as multi-racial couples, a fact not mentioned in the story.
For ages K to 3, grandparents, interracial relationships, imagination, family, love, magic, and fans of Norton Juster and Chris Raschka.
October 10, 2010
“The Hello, Goodbye Window� is delightful story told from the viewpoint of a young nameless girl (age 4-6), as she explains how wonderful it is to visit her Nanna and Poppy. Throughout the story, she refers to the “hello, goodbye window� and how magical things happen near, through, and beyond it. It’s almost like the window represents an imaginary world, where anything is possible. The young girl shares what she does and silly moments with Nanna and Poppy, revealing the things she loves most about each through her stories. Her experiences are slightly exaggerated upon as she retells what it is like when she spends the night with her grandparents. She also makes it clear that nothing happens when she naps. At the end, it is time for the little girl to leave and she shares the joyful feelings of mom and dad picking her up, along with the sadness of leaving Nanna and Poppy. The author writes, “You can be happy and sad at the same time, you know. It just happens that way sometimes.� On the last page of story she hopes for her own hello, goodbye window one day (and a poppy of her own that plays the harmonica). I smiled as I closed the book because of the happy, lingering thoughts of spending the night at my grandparent’s house, how everything always seemed so magical, and the bittersweet feelings when saying goodbye.
The painted and abstract, yet detailed, illustrations should be examined closely by the reader, because something new can be discovered each time and it almost looks like the little girl may have painted/ drawn them herself.
The book could be used in variety of ways in a K-3 classroom. If you were to have the students listen to the story with a writer’s ear, you could have them identify the many examples of the author’s use of voice in this mentor text. Students could also examine how the use of dialogue helps to add to the story. If used in the classroom to support reading strategies, I recommend using this text for making connections and visualizing.
The painted and abstract, yet detailed, illustrations should be examined closely by the reader, because something new can be discovered each time and it almost looks like the little girl may have painted/ drawn them herself.
The book could be used in variety of ways in a K-3 classroom. If you were to have the students listen to the story with a writer’s ear, you could have them identify the many examples of the author’s use of voice in this mentor text. Students could also examine how the use of dialogue helps to add to the story. If used in the classroom to support reading strategies, I recommend using this text for making connections and visualizing.
February 16, 2013
I don't really like the cover of this book, and am not too interested in Raschka's style. It seems really clownish and garish (not always, but in this book for sure). But he also controls it very well, and I find his compositions and human expressive use of human figures to be in a tight complementary relationship with the text. It moves between symmetrical and complementary, never working into contradictory illustration.
Juster has noticed a little slice of life that is worth expanding on the way he did here, and it has more depth than you might think at the start. I also found the balance of nostalgia with realism to be just about right--not smarmy or schmaltzy.
So my mom's mom and dad had a huge second-floor picture window that overlooked the deep valley of Big Cottonwood Creek, and only about 15 feet of yard before the drop off. I remember taking an extension ladder scaffold from grandpa's garage and setting it up right below this window and then walking past and waving at grandma. She was so shocked and laughed out loud! This book made me think of that.
Juster has noticed a little slice of life that is worth expanding on the way he did here, and it has more depth than you might think at the start. I also found the balance of nostalgia with realism to be just about right--not smarmy or schmaltzy.
So my mom's mom and dad had a huge second-floor picture window that overlooked the deep valley of Big Cottonwood Creek, and only about 15 feet of yard before the drop off. I remember taking an extension ladder scaffold from grandpa's garage and setting it up right below this window and then walking past and waving at grandma. She was so shocked and laughed out loud! This book made me think of that.
October 6, 2010
This delightful story is told from the perspective of a little girl spending time with her grandparents. She starts her description with the kitchen window where her Nanna and Poppy spend a lot of time. Before she even enters their home, the window serves as a place for fun and games with her grandparents. The window remains central to her description of her time with her grandparents. When the sun sets it is a reflecting mirror. At night, they turn off the lights and look through the window at the stars. In the morning, they look at the garden, check out the weather and greet the day. The special relationship between the girl and her grandparents is also evident in the telling of this story.
I was transported in time as I read this book. It reminded me so much of my own memories of spending time with my grandparents, I could have been the little girl telling the story. My grandparents had a "Hello, Goodbye Window," too. For me, this will be a perfect book to use to teach my first grade students about making text to self connections as they read. This book would also fit nicely in a first grade social studies unit on families and relationships. I would recommend this book as a read-aloud for primary aged children.
At first, the illustrations did not appeal to me. The details of the illustrations are childlike. It appears as if crayons and water paints might have been used in the originals. When I realized that the illustrator might have wanted it to appear as if the little girl had drawn the pictures, I had a new appreciation for them. They are unique and colorful.
I was transported in time as I read this book. It reminded me so much of my own memories of spending time with my grandparents, I could have been the little girl telling the story. My grandparents had a "Hello, Goodbye Window," too. For me, this will be a perfect book to use to teach my first grade students about making text to self connections as they read. This book would also fit nicely in a first grade social studies unit on families and relationships. I would recommend this book as a read-aloud for primary aged children.
At first, the illustrations did not appeal to me. The details of the illustrations are childlike. It appears as if crayons and water paints might have been used in the originals. When I realized that the illustrator might have wanted it to appear as if the little girl had drawn the pictures, I had a new appreciation for them. They are unique and colorful.
February 16, 2012
The Hello, Goodbye Window is about a little girl who visits her grandparents and tells about the different things she does at their house. Her parents drop her off at their house and she sees them through the kitchen window before she even gets inside. The whole story keeps coming back to this window that can become anything through imagination. The little girl uses the window to make faces and scare her parents sometimes. It’s a nice tale because it is memories that many children could have at their grandparents� house. The child describes the experiences through her eyes so certain things that adults understand aren’t really explained. For example, when describing the kitchen, the little girl says that she can’t touch things under the sink because she will get sick. Kids may not understand that people store chemicals under the sink. The little talks about how her grandfather plays harmonica then at the end says hopefully she is a Nana and has a Poppy that plays harmonica. That last part helps kids understand that things will change and eventually they will take over those traditions. I did not really like the illustrations. Children may like the colors, but the images are very unclear. I was unsure on several pages what was happening, only the text made it clear. The characters were very strange looking in many pictures. For example, the grandparents hands were so big in some pictures they looked scary. Minus the illustrations, it is a nice story for grandparents to read to their grandchildren.
September 29, 2016
1. Summary: This book is about a young girl who visits her grandparents house. She has a lot of fun at her grandparents house but her favorite part is the "hello, goodbye window". This window brings her a lot of joy. The things she sees from inside the window and from outside the window are magical to her. Read to see what makes this window so special!
2. Grade: k-3
3. Interest: students that would be interested in this book are ones that enjoy busy bright pictures. This book has a lot to show and I believe many children would like this book.
4. Integrate in Classroom: I would like to use this book as a project. I would like for each child to create their own window and draw things that are important to them inside their window. Then have students write 2 complete sentences explaining what they drew.
5/6: Small group and Whole class: I would like to read this book aloud so that each student can see the pictures of the book. I want them to notice the detail and colors of the pictures and use that for when they draw their own windows. I would ask like them to break off into groups so that they can look at the book closer.
7. related books: "The Dot and the Line" "Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie"
8. Multimedia connections:
*Caldecott Medal*
2. Grade: k-3
3. Interest: students that would be interested in this book are ones that enjoy busy bright pictures. This book has a lot to show and I believe many children would like this book.
4. Integrate in Classroom: I would like to use this book as a project. I would like for each child to create their own window and draw things that are important to them inside their window. Then have students write 2 complete sentences explaining what they drew.
5/6: Small group and Whole class: I would like to read this book aloud so that each student can see the pictures of the book. I want them to notice the detail and colors of the pictures and use that for when they draw their own windows. I would ask like them to break off into groups so that they can look at the book closer.
7. related books: "The Dot and the Line" "Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie"
8. Multimedia connections:
*Caldecott Medal*
February 7, 2011
I just loved this book. It took me back to when I was young and I used to sit on my Grandparent's porch swing and imagine I was somewhere else. the author shows you how impressionistic and gullible children can be. The child believes everything her Grandparents tell her like, " Nanna says it's a magic window and anyone can come by when you least expect it." The child then goes on to imagine the Queen of England and T-Rex stopping by. the story is told through the little girl's eyes and you can just feel the pure and innocent love a child has for their grandparents.
I would use this story for an imagery lesson in grades K-2. I would have the students just listen to the story and then draw what they would like to see in the window. I would have them use a medium like water colors to mimmic the illustrations in the book. The book is so beautifully illustrated but at the same time the pictures look like the little girl could have drawn them herself. They lack a lot of clear lines but give the feeling of walking through the child's mind and seeing how vibrant her imaginations is.
I would use this story for an imagery lesson in grades K-2. I would have the students just listen to the story and then draw what they would like to see in the window. I would have them use a medium like water colors to mimmic the illustrations in the book. The book is so beautifully illustrated but at the same time the pictures look like the little girl could have drawn them herself. They lack a lot of clear lines but give the feeling of walking through the child's mind and seeing how vibrant her imaginations is.
February 2, 2023
Continuing my perusal of the Caldecott Medal winners. This one garnered the prize in 2006. Norton Juster was, among other things, a writer of books for children. He wrote The Phantom Tollbooth, a great use of portals and word play.
The Hello, Goodbye Window is an ode to grandparents through a child's view. Window as portal in two directions. The Caldecott is an illustrator's award, so when I read these books I focus on the pictures, on how they tell the story and convey the emotions. Chris Raschka does just that.
The Hello, Goodbye Window is an ode to grandparents through a child's view. Window as portal in two directions. The Caldecott is an illustrator's award, so when I read these books I focus on the pictures, on how they tell the story and convey the emotions. Chris Raschka does just that.
February 27, 2014
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster and illustrations by Chris Raschka
The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is a magical gateway for one little girl. This story is told through the eyes of a little girl who has a loving relationship with her Nanna and Poppy. As she spends the night with her grandparents, she takes us on a voyage of things that goes on at the house as well as what can be seen through the "Hello, Goodbye Window!"
As the little girl tells her story, she's excited to arrive at Nanna and Poppy's house to greet them with silly face as she's plays peek-a-boo through the kitchen window. During her adventure, she narrates every step of her day and night! Playing games, listening to Poppy play the harmonica, gardening with Nanna, and riding her bike are just a few of the wondering adventure she narrates. She also describes how sometimes she just likes to sit by the window and watch. I enjoyed this book because it made me think of my own childhood looking out of the big picture window watching people walk by on the streets. I like the way the story was told...through the eyes of a child, sweet, innocent and full of excitement.
The illustrations are drawn as though the little girl who is telling the story painted them. They are full of color and very child-like. Every page has pictures that reference the story as she tells it. I would recommend this book from grade K-3. A fun activity I would use with this book would be called "Classroom Families." I would have students bring in pictures of their grandparents and write a sentence or two about why these people are a special part of their lives. The pages will be collected into a classroom album that shows the classroom diversity.
The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is a magical gateway for one little girl. This story is told through the eyes of a little girl who has a loving relationship with her Nanna and Poppy. As she spends the night with her grandparents, she takes us on a voyage of things that goes on at the house as well as what can be seen through the "Hello, Goodbye Window!"
As the little girl tells her story, she's excited to arrive at Nanna and Poppy's house to greet them with silly face as she's plays peek-a-boo through the kitchen window. During her adventure, she narrates every step of her day and night! Playing games, listening to Poppy play the harmonica, gardening with Nanna, and riding her bike are just a few of the wondering adventure she narrates. She also describes how sometimes she just likes to sit by the window and watch. I enjoyed this book because it made me think of my own childhood looking out of the big picture window watching people walk by on the streets. I like the way the story was told...through the eyes of a child, sweet, innocent and full of excitement.
The illustrations are drawn as though the little girl who is telling the story painted them. They are full of color and very child-like. Every page has pictures that reference the story as she tells it. I would recommend this book from grade K-3. A fun activity I would use with this book would be called "Classroom Families." I would have students bring in pictures of their grandparents and write a sentence or two about why these people are a special part of their lives. The pages will be collected into a classroom album that shows the classroom diversity.
September 29, 2015
The Hello, Goodbye Window is a delightful story of a little girl who visits with her Nana and Poppy. For this little girl, the window is a special, magical window full of possibilities. Through this window she can tap on the window and hide, or press her face up against it and scare Nana and Poppy. There are a number of visitors that are seen through the window, like Tyrannosaurus Rex (who is extinct and doesn't come around much), to the pizza delivery guy who always delivers pepperoni and cheese because he knows it's her favorite. Most of all, this is the story telling of all the fun, love and adventure one little girl has at her Nana and Poppy's house.
I would recommend this book for students K-2. It could be used to help introduce students to the writing process and inspire them to write a narrative. It could also be used for sequencing, making connections, to be read for Grandparent's Day, and/or just as a fun read in the classroom.
This is a WOW book for me because I am able to make connections with the girl in the story. My grandparents also had a Hello, Goodbye window where we played hide and seek, scared each other, and just looked out and observed the world from. This story takes me back to my childhood where I spent the weekends with my grandparents, eating dinner at the table, singing and playing games at the kitchen table with my grandma. Every time I read this book I think of how excited my grandma and I were to see each other and how sad we were to say goodbye.
I would recommend this book for students K-2. It could be used to help introduce students to the writing process and inspire them to write a narrative. It could also be used for sequencing, making connections, to be read for Grandparent's Day, and/or just as a fun read in the classroom.
This is a WOW book for me because I am able to make connections with the girl in the story. My grandparents also had a Hello, Goodbye window where we played hide and seek, scared each other, and just looked out and observed the world from. This story takes me back to my childhood where I spent the weekends with my grandparents, eating dinner at the table, singing and playing games at the kitchen table with my grandma. Every time I read this book I think of how excited my grandma and I were to see each other and how sad we were to say goodbye.
February 1, 2012
Located in the kitchen of Nanna and Poppy's home is a window that holds magical powers. Anyone or anything can come along and visit, including the Queen of England! You can predict the weather or watch the neighbor's dog by simply looking through its glass. But perhaps the most significant quality of the window is its special place in the heart of a little girl. This story demonstrates the true nature of childhood and the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Every page is a journey through the eyes of a young child and her days spent with Nanna and Poppy.
How could you not fall in love with this story? The pure innocence of the text could make someone wonder if a child did not write it him/herself. Norton Juster dove deep to provide youthful thoughts and inspiration. "When I get tired I come in and take my nap and nothing happens until I get up." I can confidently say this is my favorite line in the book. It takes me back to the way I felt growing up. Reading should take you to another place or another time.
My only hesitation for not rating this book with five stars is my uncertainty on the illustrations. One page in particular is reminiscent of Van Gogh's Starry Night. However, the rest of the pages seem disjointed and almost messy. One theory I might assume is that the illustrator wanted to represent artwork that was created by a young child. The color pallet seemed to have no limit, creating a chaotic effect within almost every image.
How could you not fall in love with this story? The pure innocence of the text could make someone wonder if a child did not write it him/herself. Norton Juster dove deep to provide youthful thoughts and inspiration. "When I get tired I come in and take my nap and nothing happens until I get up." I can confidently say this is my favorite line in the book. It takes me back to the way I felt growing up. Reading should take you to another place or another time.
My only hesitation for not rating this book with five stars is my uncertainty on the illustrations. One page in particular is reminiscent of Van Gogh's Starry Night. However, the rest of the pages seem disjointed and almost messy. One theory I might assume is that the illustrator wanted to represent artwork that was created by a young child. The color pallet seemed to have no limit, creating a chaotic effect within almost every image.
September 10, 2011
Coming into reading this book, I saw that it was by Norton Juster. I was excited to read it because he is the author of The Phantom Tollbooth which was a story that I vividly remember enjoying when I was in elementary school. And while the story was sweet, I was both underwhelmed and overwhelmed by this book.
What I liked:
It was a complete story. It was complete in its totality and was rather sentimental.
It felt like it was legitimately told from a child's voice. The tone of the book was very youthful, and imaginative. It was a positive portrayal of the child, embracing the innocence.
It did not seem like there was anything too "controversial" in this book. It promoted using imagination, respecting your elders, and taking naps.
What I didn't like:
The illustrations! The art of this book (Chris Raschka) overwhelmed the story for me. The pictures literally overpowered the text in this situation, and made me want to put down the book.
Also, I felt like this storybook didn't have anything "special" to it. It is a book I was alright reading, once, or twice... but it would not be on my "must read" list. There was nothing that made this book extremely appealing to me. It was simple, but still managed to be wordy.
It was average, I suppose. Nothing special, nothing terrible.
What I liked:
It was a complete story. It was complete in its totality and was rather sentimental.
It felt like it was legitimately told from a child's voice. The tone of the book was very youthful, and imaginative. It was a positive portrayal of the child, embracing the innocence.
It did not seem like there was anything too "controversial" in this book. It promoted using imagination, respecting your elders, and taking naps.
What I didn't like:
The illustrations! The art of this book (Chris Raschka) overwhelmed the story for me. The pictures literally overpowered the text in this situation, and made me want to put down the book.
Also, I felt like this storybook didn't have anything "special" to it. It is a book I was alright reading, once, or twice... but it would not be on my "must read" list. There was nothing that made this book extremely appealing to me. It was simple, but still managed to be wordy.
It was average, I suppose. Nothing special, nothing terrible.
September 25, 2011
The Hello, Goodbye Window
1. Contemporary Realism
2. The Hello, Goodbye Window is a descriptive narrative told from the point of view of a young girl. She is excited to describe the front kitchen window of her grandparent’s home where she is welcomed into a world of love and adventure.
3.a. Abstract Illustrations b. The abstract illustrations in this picture book are lighthearted and fun. They are drawn to reflect a childlike point of view with bold primary colors and broad curved brush strokes. At times, the illustrations are numerous and seem to fill up the page just like the breathless ideas of a child. And the loving and adventuresome characteristics of the grandparents are clearly evident from their exaggerated playful facial features. c. On one page, the grandfather is in a brightly colored red shirt leaning back in a rocking chair and playing the harmonica. On the opposite page, the girl is drawn leaning back equally relaxed on the floor listening to her grandfather. The joy and pleasure of the experience is clearly displayed through this page layout.
4. This picture book can be used to teach point of view. The voice of the young girl clearly shines through each page. An assignment twist might be to have students describe the window from one of the grandparent’s point of view.
1. Contemporary Realism
2. The Hello, Goodbye Window is a descriptive narrative told from the point of view of a young girl. She is excited to describe the front kitchen window of her grandparent’s home where she is welcomed into a world of love and adventure.
3.a. Abstract Illustrations b. The abstract illustrations in this picture book are lighthearted and fun. They are drawn to reflect a childlike point of view with bold primary colors and broad curved brush strokes. At times, the illustrations are numerous and seem to fill up the page just like the breathless ideas of a child. And the loving and adventuresome characteristics of the grandparents are clearly evident from their exaggerated playful facial features. c. On one page, the grandfather is in a brightly colored red shirt leaning back in a rocking chair and playing the harmonica. On the opposite page, the girl is drawn leaning back equally relaxed on the floor listening to her grandfather. The joy and pleasure of the experience is clearly displayed through this page layout.
4. This picture book can be used to teach point of view. The voice of the young girl clearly shines through each page. An assignment twist might be to have students describe the window from one of the grandparent’s point of view.
September 25, 2011
This is a warm story written in the first person perspective of a young girl who spends the day at her grandparents home, where she is fascinated by a very special window in the kitchen. a) Since the story is told from the perspective of the little girl, the illustrations are appropriately drawn in a Naïve style that perfectly mimics the perspective and development of a young child. b) The illustrations appear to have been drawn by a child in elementary school. They lack a sense of perspective, are two dimensional, and imprecise. People and objects appear to be drawn in a hurry, consist of smudges, and occasionally it is difficult to identify elements in the drawing. The bright basic colors used are typical of the naïve color pallet and colors children are drawn to. c) In the illustrations showing the young girl being embraced by her parent’s pg 27, it is not certain where the shape of the little girl’s body ends and that of her parents begin, due to the overlapping colors of these shapes. The absence of perspective lines, and the similarity of color values on pg 8, result in a two dimensional picture making it difficult to determine the depth or closeness of objects. d) This story is appropriate for an art curriculum covering art styles, color pallets, and symbolism.
February 9, 2012
Norton Juster and Chris Raschka's "The Hello, Goodbye Window" certainly proved itself worthy of receiving the Caldecott Award. This book tells the story of a kitchen window at a little girl's grandparent's house. This window is far more than just a piece of glass. Instead, it is a gateway to adventure and is extremely important to the little girl. In the book, the little girl describes all the wonderful things she likes about the window and details what exactly she sees through the special window.
This illustrations in this book are exceptional to say the least. They are filled with bright colors and broad brush strokes. I love the way the illustrator draws in a childlike manner, almost in such a way that readers feel like a child actually illustrated the book. Additionally, I like that the pictures fill the entire page and am enthralled with the way the character's are portrayed in such a fun and unrealistic manner.
I really enjoyed reading this book and appreciate both the illustrations and the words. The story is extremely sweet and leaves readers feeling "warm and fuzzy" inside. I would love for my children to feel the same way about my parent's someday and hope they will grow to see their house the same way this little girl sees her grandparent's house.
This illustrations in this book are exceptional to say the least. They are filled with bright colors and broad brush strokes. I love the way the illustrator draws in a childlike manner, almost in such a way that readers feel like a child actually illustrated the book. Additionally, I like that the pictures fill the entire page and am enthralled with the way the character's are portrayed in such a fun and unrealistic manner.
I really enjoyed reading this book and appreciate both the illustrations and the words. The story is extremely sweet and leaves readers feeling "warm and fuzzy" inside. I would love for my children to feel the same way about my parent's someday and hope they will grow to see their house the same way this little girl sees her grandparent's house.
January 27, 2013
The Hello Goodbye window written by Norton Juster is a story about a little girl who loves visiting her grandparents. The grandparent’s kitchen window is a magic gateway for their granddaughter. This story shows a wonderful grandparent –grandchild relationship. In the story, the little girl talks about all the fun and exciting things she sees and do while visiting her grandparents. The title of the story “The Hello Goodbye Window� serve as the focus point to the story because this is where the grandparents spend most of their time in the kitchen looking out of this window.
This book was fun and easy to read and understand. The illustrations are pretty and nice to look but a little on the abstract side. I would recommend this book to student’s 2nd � 6th grade. With younger students they can listen to the story and discuss the picture and then share their memories of when they spent time at their relative house. With the older students after they read the story, they can create their own story/book about visiting their grandparents or other relative house.
Hello, Goodbye Window won the Caldecott Medal for its illustrations and the Child magazine’s Best Children’s Book Awards 2005.
This book was fun and easy to read and understand. The illustrations are pretty and nice to look but a little on the abstract side. I would recommend this book to student’s 2nd � 6th grade. With younger students they can listen to the story and discuss the picture and then share their memories of when they spent time at their relative house. With the older students after they read the story, they can create their own story/book about visiting their grandparents or other relative house.
Hello, Goodbye Window won the Caldecott Medal for its illustrations and the Child magazine’s Best Children’s Book Awards 2005.
January 25, 2012
The Hello, Goodbye Window was a good book. The pictures in it took up the whole page, but looked as if they were water painted, not as if they were drawn. It has a youngster feeling to it and I think it would totally catch the attention of children with how different the drawings look from other books. I feel like it can really relate to many children and their times/memories of their grandparents house. So, in a way it is like an escape to grandma and grandpa’s house through a book. A little thing that popped out to me was the lesson about not playing with the things under the sink in the kitchen, because “they make you sick�. I thought that was great.
In this book, a little girl tells through her point of view her time over at her grandparents house. She mentions the hello, goodbye window that she hopes to have in her own house one day. This is a window in the kitchen that you see when walking up to house to get dropped off and you see when leaving the house to go home. She talks about all the different things she can do with the hello, goodbye window. In her mind I believe this window has some sort of magic to it.
In this book, a little girl tells through her point of view her time over at her grandparents house. She mentions the hello, goodbye window that she hopes to have in her own house one day. This is a window in the kitchen that you see when walking up to house to get dropped off and you see when leaving the house to go home. She talks about all the different things she can do with the hello, goodbye window. In her mind I believe this window has some sort of magic to it.
October 25, 2011
Age Range - Primary
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster is a great story about a little girl and her visit to her grandparents. The author tells us through the girl all the different things she does at her Nanna and Poppy's house. She can listen to her Poppy play the harmonica, help her Nanna in the garden and even take a nap when she gets tired. Throughout the book the window gives a different view of the house. The girl could see her reflection, look out at the stars and say good morning and goodbye.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. The illustrator uses pencil outline and pastel colors in a way that looks as if a child drew the pictures.
I would recommend this book to anyone with young children, but especially to grandparents. This is a great gift for grandparents to give to their grandchildren. Every child has fond memories of their grandparents' house. Even if the house is not the same as Nanna and Poppy's, the book gives insight to the special bond that exists with a grandchild.
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster is a great story about a little girl and her visit to her grandparents. The author tells us through the girl all the different things she does at her Nanna and Poppy's house. She can listen to her Poppy play the harmonica, help her Nanna in the garden and even take a nap when she gets tired. Throughout the book the window gives a different view of the house. The girl could see her reflection, look out at the stars and say good morning and goodbye.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. The illustrator uses pencil outline and pastel colors in a way that looks as if a child drew the pictures.
I would recommend this book to anyone with young children, but especially to grandparents. This is a great gift for grandparents to give to their grandchildren. Every child has fond memories of their grandparents' house. Even if the house is not the same as Nanna and Poppy's, the book gives insight to the special bond that exists with a grandchild.
April 29, 2010
Summary: This book is about a little girl who goes to visit her grandparents. At their house is a special window that her and her grandparents play at, wave hello and goodbye at, and imagine different visitors come and say hello. The window creates a strong bond between the little girl and her grandparents.
Reading Level: Ages 6-9
Genre: Picture Book
Uses: Guided Reading, Independent Reading, Read-Aloud, Shared Reading
Social Issues: This is a wonderful book to celebrate the importance of extended family. When children get to visit family and friends, they can create bonds that last forever.
Literary Elements: The author uses symbolism to show how the window represents the bond that the family has and how one ordinary object can create such a strong love between family.
Text & Image: The text allows the reader to use their imagination and the illustrations provide an element of creativity and art to the story.
Reading Level: Ages 6-9
Genre: Picture Book
Uses: Guided Reading, Independent Reading, Read-Aloud, Shared Reading
Social Issues: This is a wonderful book to celebrate the importance of extended family. When children get to visit family and friends, they can create bonds that last forever.
Literary Elements: The author uses symbolism to show how the window represents the bond that the family has and how one ordinary object can create such a strong love between family.
Text & Image: The text allows the reader to use their imagination and the illustrations provide an element of creativity and art to the story.
October 6, 2010
I grabbed this book as an afterthought but it turned out to be one of my favorites of the books I chose that day. First of all I loved the idea of the “magic window!� I thought it provided th reader with a great sense of using the imagination. I liked how it peovide all sorts of uses fo the window...can see the stars, can see the dog nest store, can see people coming and going etc. I loved the fact that the window was a constant in their lives, always providing something interesting to discuss. The window provides new adventures and discussions all the time. On a separate account I found it interesting that the child involved in the story was biracial. The illustrations show a girl of light dark skin tone. When you look further (or at least I did not notice it at first) the parents and grandparents are from different racial backgrounds. It was something I do not see very often in picture books. Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot. I hope you do too!
October 7, 2009
The Hello, Goodbye Window is a story of a young girl and her visits to her grandparent's home. She identifies something special about this house; one kitchen window. The story evolves as we find out how meaningful the window is to her and to her family. Where one family may see it has just a window to look through, it is a place where she says hello and goodbye to her grandparents, as well as a way to the outside world. It is all written through the perspective of the little girl in the story as she explains all the different uses of the window. The illustrator creates no fine lines or shapes in the story. Rather, all the paintings in the story look as if a child has created them. They are full of color that look as if a rainbow was thrown on each page. It is a book that touches your heart as you see the love between the little girl and her grandparents.
September 1, 2016
1. This book is about a special window at Nanna and Poppy's house, and all of the things our narrator discovers there. The window is a very important place in her life, and she tells us why.
2. Recommended PreK+
3. This book is a good book to include in a lesson about family or places.
4. I would recommend this book to any child who has spoken dearly about a grandparent, possibly a child who lives with grandparents.
5. This book would be a great circle book for sections on family. Students could talk about their grandparents' houses or where their Hello/Goodbye window is.
6. This would be an excellent read-aloud for Pre-K or Kindergartners because they grasp the concept of a family unit and probably have close relationships with their grandparents.
7. "Me with You" by Kristy Dempsey, "Black is Brown is Tan" by Arnold Adoff
8. No multimedia connections.
2. Recommended PreK+
3. This book is a good book to include in a lesson about family or places.
4. I would recommend this book to any child who has spoken dearly about a grandparent, possibly a child who lives with grandparents.
5. This book would be a great circle book for sections on family. Students could talk about their grandparents' houses or where their Hello/Goodbye window is.
6. This would be an excellent read-aloud for Pre-K or Kindergartners because they grasp the concept of a family unit and probably have close relationships with their grandparents.
7. "Me with You" by Kristy Dempsey, "Black is Brown is Tan" by Arnold Adoff
8. No multimedia connections.
February 25, 2010
"There's a brick path that goes to the back porch, but before you get there you pass right by the kitchen window. That's the Hello, Goodbye Window. It looks like a regular window, but it's not." In the Hello, Goodbye Window a young girl describes a trip to Nanna and Poppy's house and all the wonderful things that happen there, including the things seen and heard through the Hello, Goodbye Window.
This Caldecott Medal winner has gorgeous pictures with bright, bold colors. The story reminded me a lot of the trips to my Grandparents' house when I was little and how special those times were. Primary students would love to share similar experiences after reading this story. There are lots of opportunities for responding to reading through pictures, journals, etc.
This Caldecott Medal winner has gorgeous pictures with bright, bold colors. The story reminded me a lot of the trips to my Grandparents' house when I was little and how special those times were. Primary students would love to share similar experiences after reading this story. There are lots of opportunities for responding to reading through pictures, journals, etc.
October 4, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Hello, Goodbye Window. I think that children will really be able to relate to theo story because of the time she sepnds with her grandparents and the activities they do. It makes me reminisce about the times i spent with my grandparents as a young girl. The illustrations are water-colored and are intriguing becasue of all the bright colors. This book is fro first and second grade readers. I think this is because the book is lengthy and contains some bigger words. I had never read this book as a child, or had heard about it until I read it, but I really enjoyed it and plan to keep it around for my children and my classorom. This would be a great story to read-aloud to students and to ask them questions about their grandparents' homes.
October 7, 2009
This book is absolutely adorable! It's about a little girl and her special memories visiting her grandparents. There is a window that holds meaning for her because she can look in from outside at her grandparents, look outside at the world, and many other things. The beautiful mixed media pictures really represent a child's point of view and allow the reader to connect to the innocent ways of the narrator. It also is relevant for many readers; children can really identify to the love she feels at her grandparents' house and the words beautifully echo the child's sentiments. The books is quality because it not only has good pictures, but also has a well written and catchy story.
October 3, 2015
The narrator captures the playful spirit of a young girl enchanted by her grandparents window. She recounts the adventures she and her grandparents have in their kitchen and backyard and when she takes her nap she reflects, "nothing happens until I get up."
The Hello, Goodbye window is the portal between the world of her grandparents and the world outside. This book captures the joy of a granddaughter spending time with her grandparents and also the complexity of being happy and sad when she has to leave to go home.
A fun read with playful childish language and kid-inspired illustrations!
The Hello, Goodbye window is the portal between the world of her grandparents and the world outside. This book captures the joy of a granddaughter spending time with her grandparents and also the complexity of being happy and sad when she has to leave to go home.
A fun read with playful childish language and kid-inspired illustrations!
May 24, 2016
First off I would like to mention the sincerest gratitude I have for this book due to its diversity aspect because the little girl's mom and dad and her Nanna and Poppy are of different races which was really interesting to see. I love love LOVED the illustrations because although it was not the Mona Lisa, it helped me get into the mindset of the little girl as if she had done the illustrations herself. Her story was written on the page and her mind was illuminated as well. The story is also very cute!
January 21, 2017
The Hello, Goodbye Window tugged at my heart strings! It is a simple story of the wonders of everyday life during childhood. The narrator's relationship with her grandparents exhibits the special bond that can develop between grandparents and grandchildren. I called my grandpa "Poppy," so I especially liked that the narrator also calls her grandpa this. I also loved the child-like artistry of the illustrations in this book and the fact that both the grandparents and parents are depicted in biracial relationships.
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