Another case of a celebrity writing a book.....and I'm not quite sure it pays off. I love that the grandpa is the central character along with the grandkids. (Normally you see grandmas). Still, I find it a bit long....and not a fave. ( )

The kiddos are having a bit of a rough day. Why? Well, it's blustery and gloomy outside, so they're all stuck inside...or so they think. Enter stage right...their effervescent Grandude, and boy does he ever have an adventure for them! All he needs is a postcard or two, his "magic" compass, a few fun rhyming magical words, and ZING, BANG, SIZZLE...things get QUITE a bit more interesting. From lazy days at the shore to outrunning a heard of wild buffalo, traipsing snow capped peaks to hitching a ride on a flying cow, Grandude shows this intrepid bunch that ANYTHING can happen with a bit of imagination.

This was such a fun read! You can't help but get caught up in the magic and mayhem of it all as adventure after adventure proves at first exciting, then a little trying, and finally exhausting as they make their way home once again. Grandude reminds us that we're never caught inside on a rainy day unless we truly wish to be, while also showing just how much wisdom our elders are keeping beneath their proverbial hats just waiting to be discovered curious loved ones who care to know.


**copy received for review; opinions are my own ( )

Like most people who picked up this book (I’m sure), I figured I had to read it because it was written by Paul McCartney of Beatles fame. Whether that’s a legitimate selling point or not is up for debate, but not a big commitment when I’m borrowing from the library so no harm done. Considering that McCartney does have a way with words and a very creative imagination, I am not that surprised that his book utilizes these skills well to create an engaging story of a grandfather who takes his “chillers” on some rainy day adventures around the world. Using postcards from his many travels Grandude waves his magic compass and transports the group to a beach, a desert, a mountaintop, and then back home again in time for bed. The structure of the story is simple, yet effective, even if it’s not exactly anything new, and I’m sure that lots of young readers will be captivated by the magic of Grandude’s compass and kept visually engaged by Kathryn Durst’s brightly coloured and adventurous illustrations. ( )

From Paul McCartney, the iconic Beatle, comes an action-packed picture-book adventure celebrating the fun that grandparents and their grandkids can get into. A boring day turns into so much more. See the compass needle spin, let the magic fun begin! ( )

A Grandude and his "chillers" (a grandfather and grandchildren) embark on a series of fantastic adventures thanks to the grandfather's magical compass in this debut picture-book from celebrated musician Paul McCartney. Escaping from a gray and drizzly day, the group of travelers find themselves on a sunny beach, then in the Old West, and finally on a peaceful mountain slope in the Swiss Alps. Eventually they return home, and the children (or chillers) are put to bed by their Grandude...

Although I didn't have quite as strong a negative reaction to this one as an online friend of mine who also read it, I did find Hey Grandude! rather lacking, and think it perfectly exemplifies the pitfalls of having celebrities, famous for their work in other, non-children's-literature related endeavors, writing picture-books. This reads like what an adult who doesn't know much about picture-books thinks a picture-book should be. The story idea isn't terrible (I can even see some kids finding it entertaining), but there's a little too much here, and McCartney doesn't quite hold it all together in one tale. Somehow, the narrative here just felt rather disjointed, like the author was trying to do too much. The artwork is colorful and cute, and again, I can see some children enjoying it, but it didn't do much for me either. Mileage varies, so if you're a determined Paul McCartney fan, you might want to give this one a look, but overall I was left feeling rather indifferent to it, and don't strongly recommend it. ( )