WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Full, Full, Full of Love"

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week Two: Tina reads Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Paul Howard

“This beautifully illustrated children’s picture book is filled with images and descriptions of a young boy’s relationship with his grandmother. The story tells of Jay Jay being dropped off at Grannie’s house as she is making preparations for a Sunday family dinner.

There are descriptions of the contents of Grannie’s house, the food-making, and its resulting smells, tastes and sounds. The family is African American and the story features culturally sensitive depictions of the family and traditional African American foods.

The love between Grannie and Jay Jay is evident in everything they do together. Anticipation builds as the time approaches for the rest of the family to arrive.  Finally, aunties, uncles, cousins and mom and dad arrive to enjoy a grand dinner together. As the story ends, Jay Jay is carried out in his father’s arms with his mom at their side. He waves goodbye with this text:

Grannie’s house is always full,
full of hugs and kisses,
full of tasty dishes,
full of all kinds of fishes,
full to the brim with happy faces,
full, full, full of love.”