Module 3(B) - The Hello, Goodbye Window

Book
The Hello, Goodbye Window
Written by Norton Juster, Illustrated by Chris Raschka


Citation
Juster, N. (2005). The hello, goodbye window. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.


Summary
A sweet little girl takes the reader on a tour of her grandparent's house and daily routine, always stopping to point out the hello, goodbye window and its special characteristics. We learn all kinds of things about the little girl's Nanna and Poppy and so much more about the loving relationship that exists between the three of them. The little girl gives simple and poignant insight into things of the world in such a way that makes even the oldest reader feel encouraged and fulfilled.


Reviews
School Library Journal: Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 1–The window in Nanna and Poppy's kitchen is no ordinary window–it is the place where love and magic happens. It's where the girl and her doting grandparents watch stars, play games, and, most importantly, say hello and goodbye. The first-person text is both simple and sophisticated, conjuring a perfectly child-centered world. Sentences such as "When I get tired I come in and take my nap and nothing happens until I get up" typify the girl's happy, imaginative world. While the language is bouncy and fun, it is the visual interpretation of this sweet story that sings. Using a bright rainbow palette of saturated color, Raschka's impressionistic, mixed-media illustrations portray a loving, mixed-race family. The artwork is at once lively and energetic, without crowding the story or the words on the page; the simple lines and squiggles of color suggest a child's own drawings, but this is the art of a masterful hand. Perfect for lap-sharing, this book will find favor with children and adults alike.

Booklist: *Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 2. Two well-known names come together in a book that speaks to the real lives of children and their experiences. The young narrator visits her grandparents, Nanna and Poppy, in their big house. They explore Nanna's garden, and Poppy plays his harmonica. The narrator rides her bike and takes a nap, "and nothing happens till I get up." Looking out the picture window, the "hello, goodbye window," she sees the pizza guy, and, more fancifully, a dinosaur. She also spots her parents coming to pick her up. The curly-haired girl is happy to see them, but sad because it means the end of the visit. The window imagery is less important than the title would make it seem. More intrinsic is Juster's honest portrayal of a child's perceptions (a striped cat in the yard is a tiger) and emotions (being happy and sad at the same time "just happens that way sometimes"). Raschka's swirling lines, swaths, and dabs of fruity colors seem especially vibrant, particularly in the double-page spreads, which have ample room to capture both the tender moments between members of the interracial family and the exuberance of spending time in the pulsating outdoors, all flowers, grass, and sky.


Suggested Use
What a great jumping-off place for a unit on families and what they mean to us! The Hello, Goodbye Window could spark a discussion about who we might see if we looked into each student's hello, goodbye window. Students could illustrate a picture showing these special people in their lives and attach a cross piece over the picture to depict a window.


Impression
I love this book! I like the simplistic wisdom given by the little girl; I like the showing of relationship between the characters; I like the illustrations and their abstract-ness; I like the warm feeling of blessing this book evokes.