When I Am Old With You

Johnson, A. (1990). When I Am Old with You. New York, NY: Orchard Books.

Brief Annotation: Set in the rural South, this book tells the story of a relationship between a young boy and his “Grandaddy.” The boy dreams of everything that he and his Grandaddy will do together when he is older.

Genre: Picture book, Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: K-3

Readers who will like this: Students who have strong relationships with their grandfathers, readers who like stories about family, children who dream about the future.

Response/Rating (1-4): **** This heartfelt book, with David Soman’s beautiful, impressionist watercolor illustrations, always brought tears to my mother’s eyes when she read it aloud to me as a child. I still feel a deep connection to the book’s protagonist, and his desire to grow old with his grandfather. I believe that children will also relate to this joyful story of familial relationship.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Can you think of someone special in your life?