The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant Caldecott Honor

Another quality work from Cynthia Rylant. I had actually read this one before but could not remember what it was about. I kept trying to read it with the same rhyme pattern that is in The Lady Who Named Things ( which I loved and have read again!). Isn't it funny that we try to generalize a particular pattern or theme to most works by the same author.The story starts with It was summer of the year that the relatives came. That makes me think that this was a very special isolated visit. The illustration on that page had a man loading a car with a ton of luggage, like they would stay a while. The author really makes it a point to let us know that it was a long drive up from Virginia. It was so cute to see the car packed with people and weighed down with luggage on the roof, it made me think of a clown car at the circus. Once they arrived the poor little house was packed full of people. It made me laugh to look at all of them laid out on the floor. I would have definitely read this book to my elementary students because to them visiting family or having family visit is a big deal. It was also refreshing to see family just enjoying one another without TV and video games.