much Has Been Written About War And Remembrance, But Very Little Of It Has Been For Young Children. As Questions Come From A Young Grandchild, His Grandpa Talks About How, As A Very Young Man, He Was As Proud As A Peacock In Uniform, Busy As A Beaver On His Atlantic Crossing, And Brave As A Lion Charging Into Battle. Soon, The Old Man’s Room Is Filled With An Imaginary Menagerie As The Child Thinks About Different Aspects Of Wartime. But As He Pins Medals On His Grandpa’s Blazer And Receives His Own Red Poppy In Return, The Mood Becomes More Somber.
outside, The Crowd Gathered For The Veterans’ Parade Grows As Quiet As A Mouse, While Men And Women — Old And Young — March Past In The Rain. A Trumpet Plays And Grandpa Lays A Wreath In Memory Of His Lost Friend. Just Then, The Child Imagines An Elephant In The Mist. “elephants Never Forget,” He Whispers To His Grandpa. “then Let’s Be Elephants,” Says The Old Man, As He Wipes Water From His Eyes And Takes His Grandson’s Hand.
proud As A Peacock, Brave As A Lion Has Relevance To A Growing Number Of Families, As New Waves Of Soldiers Leave Home.

in This Offering From Canadian Publisher Tundra Books, A Grandson Asks Questions Of His Grandfather About War As His Poppa Dresses For A Canadian Remembrance Day Service. Poppa Is Participating As A Former Soldier And His Grandson Will Observe. Given The Intended Audience Of Young Readers, Barclay Cleverly Has Poppa Use Animal Imagery To Help Explain And Reinforce His Reasons For Becoming A Soldier And His Experiences During The War. Thus, Poppa Explains That When He Was In Uniform He Was As Proud As A Peacock And That He And His Fellow Soldiers Were As Busy As Beavers. Poppa's Responses To His Grandson's Serious Questions Are At First Lighthearted But Become More Subtle As He Continues To Get Ready For The Ceremony. For Example, When Asked If He Was Ever Scared, Poppa Responds I Pretended To Be As Brave As A Lion. Benoit's Phantom-like Drawings Of The Animal In Question Superimposed Behind Poppa's Body Further Dramatize And Enhance A Young Reader's Understanding Of War. The Phantom Motif Is Carried Throughout Except For In A Few Illustrations Where They Are Noticeably Absent. When The Young Boy And His Grandfather Attend The Memorial Service, Benoit's Palette Becomes Increasingly Somber Except For The Bright Red Poppies, The Official Symbol Of Remembrance In Canada. A Young American Reader Might Not Understand The Poppies' Particular Significance, However, Its Depiction In Numerous Illustrations Throughout The Second Half Of This Book Offers The Reader A Chance At Construing Its Importance. Canadian Children Will Most Likely Identify The Day As Remembrance Day Even Though It Is Never Named As Such; Young American Readers Will Not Know This Holiday That Is Closest To Memorial Day In Tone. Nonetheless, The Poignancy Of The Young Boy And His Grandfather Solemnly Commemorating Those Who Have Served In War Makes This Book Universally Appealing. In Addition, The Tender And Respectful Interaction Between Grandfather And Grandson Will Please And Interest Readers. Reviewer: Margaret Orto

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