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Hazelnut Days

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Hazelnut Days

Hardcover

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Hardcover
$17.99

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Overview

It’s visiting day, and Dad smells like peppermint—yuck! If only he would wear that nice, breezy cologne that smells like hazelnut... So begins one boy’s brief weekly visit with his father in prison. Here’s a man who gets angry, but beneath that peppermint surface is much to admire, if only you take the time to look. This richly imagined picture book explores the inner life of a boy who struggles to love a father who can be difficult to love at times. Though they may only have brief visits together, it’s clear they love each other. This story bravely explores the all-too-hidden world of incarcerated parents. It’s also a beautiful testament to the power of love to bridge the walls that divide us.

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789888341542
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	05/01/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,168,482
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Emmanuel Bourdier writes for both future adults and grown-up children. In addition to writing books, he is also a teacher, has worked in amateur theater, and loves rock music. This is his first book for minedition.

ZAÜ is the pen name of André Langevin, born in 1943 in Rennes, France. He studied graphic art at the École Estienne in Paris. He works as a graphic artist and has illustrated numerous books that have brought him acclaim. His art takes its inspiration from his many travels.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

03/12/2018
Dad is a garrulous, burly man with a gold tooth, who smells of cigarettes and peppermint aftershave. He is also in prison. Bourdier does not reveal why Dad is there, although there are plenty of clues that it’s for something serious: there are references to his temper, and his young son, who narrates, notes that by the time Dad gets out, he will be “too old” to win a footrace with his child. The boy’s weekly, hourlong visits with Dad are emotionally tumultuous. While he loves and identifies with his father, he also chafes at Dad’s attempts to be an authority figure (“He tells me I have no right to do so poorly in school—it’s my only chance to avoid becoming like him”), and he sees how his adored mother’s eyes turn sad and “foggy.” The meaning in some of the poetic language might be a reach for the intended audience (Dad is described as “a void maker, a ghost king, a fog machine”), but Zaü’s smudgy, sepia-toned charcoal sketches are striking for their emotional frankness and accessibility. Ages 4–up. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Hazelnut Days is going to find a home with the kids that like to think a lot about the world in which they live. It’s going to appeal to educators and teachers. Librarians and other gatekeepers will approve its artistry, even as the occasional bold 12-year-old sneaks a peek at it on the sly... those that read it will find it hard to forget. A book for our times, whether we want to admit that to ourselves or not... Hazelnut Days is less interested in the process of a kid going to jail (as in Visiting Day) or thinking deeply about what it means to grow to be a man without a father (as in Knock Knock) than it is in examining the day-to-day realities of missing your father, hating your father, loving your father, blaming your father, forgiving your father, and above all wanting to be your father... a whipsmart approximation of all the conflicted feelings a child is privy to when they visit a beloved parent behind bars. A book that works beyond its surface message... I can see teachers and educators using this book in children’s English classes to highlight how much a story can change when you’re given all the information, rather than just bits and pieces. It’s a book that certainly rewards multiple readings." —Elizabeth Bird, blogs.slj.com

"[The] graphics depict the characters as racially ambiguous in highly charged emotional scenes that perfectly match the text. Youngsters who might be in similar situations will find comfort, or at least recognition. An empathetic and powerful evocation of a rarely examined family dynamic." —Kirkus Reviews

"A book for our times…a book that works beyond its surface message…a book that certainly deserves multiple readings...Hazelnut Days is going to find a home with the kids that like to think a lot about the world in which they live. It’s going to appeal to educators and teachers. Librarians and other gatekeepers will approve its artistry, even as the occasional bold 12-year-old sneaks a peek at it on the sly... those that read it will find it hard to forget." —Elizabeth Bird, slj.com

From the Publisher

04/01/2018
K-Gr 3—A boy rides the train with his mother to visit his father in prison. In a narrative that's both funny and touching, the boy tells readers about his dad, who sometimes smells like peppermint and sometimes like hazelnut. As the narrative unfolds, readers gain a multifaceted portrait of an impulsive, temperamental man who is both loved and loving. The story concludes on a hopeful note; the boy promises he'll bring his father an extra-large bag of hazelnuts on their next visitation day. Translated from French, this subtle story explores the complex relationship of a parent and a child. Although there are specific character and relationship details, there's no mention of the reason the father is in prison or how long he'll be there, which makes this an accessible selection for children experiencing a similar situation. It briefly touches on the sadness the boy sees in his mom's eyes, but the focus is primarily on the male bond. Charcoal and/or oil pastel illustrations utilize black, white, and gray on creamy beige paper with areas of intentional white space that direct the eye. Deft shading and texture add both details and emotional depth to the boy's world. Images catch faces and bodies as they react, providing snapshots into the emotional lives of characters. VERDICT This nuanced portrait of a child with an incarcerated parent working through his feelings deserves a place on most library shelves.—Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library

School Library Journal

2018-02-19
A young boy sees his father only once every other week, when he visits him in prison.Their relationship is very complicated. This unnamed boy loves, hates, fears, pities his father. He admires his father's strength, his talent for mimicry, and his sense of humor. He blames his father for causing the pain and sadness in his mother's eyes. But mostly he hates and fears his father's anger, especially when it is directed at him. His father cries when the visit is over, reawakening his son's love. The title refers to one of the two colognes his father wears; the boy much prefers hazelnut over peppermint with its more pleasant, even hopeful, associations. Translated from the French, the tale is told in brief, sharp sentences that describe constantly changing bursts of emotions in both father and son while taking care to avoid sentimentality or pathos. Reasons for his incarceration are not given, which might cause anxious questions. Readers will find their own reactions changing from moment to moment as they feel the boy's confusion and pain. Zaü's smudgy, sepia graphics depict the characters as racially ambiguous in highly charged emotional scenes that perfectly match the text. Youngsters who might be in similar situations will find comfort, or at least recognition.An empathetic and powerful evocation of a rarely examined family dynamic. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

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