Summary

A young boy loves his Sunday routine which means going to visit his Great Grandma, "Nana Upstairs" and his Grandma "Nana Downstairs". His great grandmother is 94 so she stays in her bed and he visits with her and they talk and eat candy, his grandmother stays downstairs and cooks until its nap time after which she combs out Nana Upstairs' hair. The little boy looks forward to these visits until one day he learns that Nana Upstairs has died. He doesn't understand what that means but he is told that means he won't be able to see her again. That day they go over to his grandmother's house even though its not Sunday and he sees the empty bed upstairs. One night when he can't sleep he sees a shooting star and his mother tells him it's a kiss from Nana Upstairs. Years later his grandmother dies and he decides that they are both Nana Upstairs.

Quotes

General Themes

Change and the Grief Process

What the Reviewer Liked

I think this is a sweet story about a young boy's relationship between generations.

Writing Style

Author Qualifications

Written and illustrated nearly fifty children's books, has been awarded the Silver Award in the Franklin Prize Competition and has been commended by the American Institute for Graphic Arts.

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Kara is the Gothic root of the word "care."
It means to reach out, to care, to lament, to grieve with.