Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs

By Tomie dePaola

Book Overview

The love between many generations shines brightly in this story grandparents, parents, and grandchildren will treasure.

Tommy is four years old, and he loves visiting the home of his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, and his great-grandmother, Nana Upstairs. But one day Tommy's mother tells him Nana Upstairs won't be there anymore, and Tommy must struggle with saying good-bye to someone he loves.

This wonderful generational story, a classic in its own right, celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary in a new, full-color edition, joining the other appealing picture books in which Tomie dePaola draws upon his childhood memories.

In re-creating the art, Tomie said, "Creating this art was as emotional an experience for me now as it was then."

"In a quietly touching story the author-illustrator depicts loving family relationships so that even the very young reader can understand the concept." -Publishers Weekly

* "Children will want to hear this again and again..." -School Library Journal (starred review)

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399231080
• ISBN13: 9780399231087
• Release Date: December 1997
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.2" x 10.4"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Sweet way to address loss

Not only is this story charming, it provides understanding for those who may have lost a grandparent. By showing how a family works together to love and take care of its elders, Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs gives children an idea of how important it is to appreciate what you have.

Wonderful Book!

This is an absolutely wonderful book that I read when I was a child. My grandmother died when I was in high school, and I immediately tried to find this book. It made me feel at peace with her and helped me get through her death. It was a wonderful book when I was young, and just as wonderful as I grew older. Timeless... as I'm now in my mid twenties, when I want to think of her, I read the book. My children will also come to love it!

Excellent child self-help book

This is a wonderful book that i remember from my own youth. It deals with the death of loved ones in a very gentle manner. This book deals with the young, the old, and the elderly....and the close sense of family is what helps Tommy through the grieving process when Nana Upstairs dies. This is an excellent book for children of all ages.

It was sweet and sad at the same time.

Young Tommy struggles through his happy childhood having two nana's. He loves both of them very much. One is his great grama and the other his gramma. One is very old and stays upstairs, so she is nana upstairs and the same with nana downstairs. One day, n.u. dies and tommy is sad. He wakes up in the middle of the night and sees a shooting star. His mommy says it is a kiss. Well as tommy grows, the same happens to n.d. It happens all over again. I loved this book, it made me cry when i first read it when i was 2.