The Relatives Came

What a fun book. This one made me laugh. The copy I picked up from the library was well-loved, wrinkled, and ripped. The Relatives Came is about one family taking a long road trip to visit their other family members. They leave behind grapes that are almost ripe and arrive at a garden full of peaches, watermelons, and long-missed family members. The illustrations really showed a lot of movement, expression, and the depth of love that a family feels for each other after a long period of separation. The family laughs, cries, eats, and plays together. I really related to this story and I had a smile on my face the whole way through. I wouldn't say there is much of a moral but it is a story that pretty much anyone can relate to and I guess show more that it would put a smile on just about anyone's face. A fun, light read for a summer library program. show less

I really enjoyed this book because it was well written, it had great illustrations and it was a cute story. The book was very descriptive. It said "They left at 4 in the morning when it was still dark before even the birds were awake". I could envision what it was like when they left out. Then it said, "Then it was hugging time". Through the illustrations you could see how happy the relatives were to be visiting each other. I felt like I was one of them seeing my relatives for the first time in a while. The plot was organized and grasped the attention of the reader. I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen in the end to the relatives. Overall this was a great book for young children

A wonderful story of relatives visiting one another over the summer. This was one of my first Cynthia Rylant books and I absolutely loved it.

This is a great book to share with children and promote comprehension. The plot and setting of this story is very relatable for young children as they will be able to make text-to-world, text-to-self, and text-to-text connections to this story.

One of the most enchanting aspects of this story, besides the actually story, is the illustrations. I love the beautiful colored pencil illustrations that are just as intriguing as the text. I know my students will love this book as much as I do.

This bouncing storyline of a relative visit is outstanding. The pictures are great and the author makes you feel like you are there with them. It is a story children can relate to because everyone has family and they may come visit. It could lend itself to a good writing unit.

I really enjoyed this book. The flowing language is creative and extremely detailed. For example, "You'd have to go through at least four different hugs to get from the kitchen to the front room. Those relatives!" The plot is easy for children to relate to, wether they come from big families or small. The details like spending meals together and sharing rooms when family comes to town are easy for a child to picture themselves doing, especially because the illustrations are so well done. All members of a family are shown through these images, which are vibrant and exciting. The main idea here is that time spent with relatives from out of town is unique and it is rare, so it is important to enjoy it and get to know those people.

Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came is a lovey story of a large family from Virginia that packs up and travels to stay with their relatives. It is a warmhearted book with wonderful illustrations of a jolly loving family told through the eyes of the little girl whose house they are staying. They stay for weeks and weeks and the little girl couldn't be more delighted to share her home with them. it is a great read full of imagery and metaphors. The love the family has for each other as they work to fix up the home, shines through Stephen Gammell's illustrations. It is no wonder the book is a Caldecott Honor. The Relatives is a great story for a child of any age. Many can relate to having relatives in town, and know the warm feeling they show more get when spending time with loved ones, just as the narrator of this story portrays. show less

A fun, colorful book about a family that has relatives visit all summer long. It deals with the anticipation, excitement, craziness, and sadness of having family come and go.