A review by backonthealex
Hey Grandude! by Paul McCartney

3.0

I don't usually do celebrity books, but I made an exception here because it isn't a famous person ego trip, just a picture book. It's a grey, drizzly day out and Grandude's four grandchildren, whom he calls Chillers, are bored and grumpy. Cheerful Grandude pulls out a pile of postcards and a magic compass, utters the magic words "See the compass needle spin,/let the magic fun begin!" Next thing they know, they find themselves on a sunny beach. And it's great fun until, uh oh, suddenly the beach is crawling with pinchy crabs. Grandude pulls out his magic compass, utters the magic words, and he and the Chillers are off to a warm desert, having fun riding horses until, uh oh, a herd of buffalo comes rushing at them. Granddude repeats the magic words again and it's off to another adventure that also ends unpleasantly. Finally, the fourth adventure brings them home, tired and safely tucked in bed. I wasn't that crazy about this book, but my young readers loved it, so much so, we read it a number of times in one sitting. Their conclusion about the magic compass and the adventures Grandude and the Chillers went on - they didn't really go anywhere, but Grandude made up great stories and they just felt like they had left the house. Their other conclusion - sometimes home is the best place to be. The enthusiasm of my young readers was good enough for me, and it led to a wonderful lesson on the compass and what it is really used for