We’re so excited to welcome back funny and talented author and educator, Sharon Giltrow, with her third hilarious instalment in her role reversal picture book series. Following the success of Bedtime, Daddy! and Get Ready, Mama!, we are filling our trolleys with excitement for Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! With aptly expressive, funny and tender illustrations by Dhwani Gosalia about this gorgeous child-grandparent relationship, this book is utterly delicious! Thanks for sharing your sweet story with us, Sharon! And, its release is in perfect time for Grandparents Day on October 29! Yay! 🙂
About the Author
Sharon Giltrow grew up in South Australia, the youngest of eight children, surrounded by pet sheep and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children and a tiny dog. Sharon is a children’s author who writes humorous and heartfelt picture books. As well as speculative, adventure filled middle grade books. Since 2020 Sharon has built a collection of literary work including BEDTIME, DADDY! and GET READY, MAMA! Her third and fourth picture books, LET’S GO SHOPPING, GRANDMA! And LET’S GO TO THE BEACH, GRANDPA! are due to be released in 2023 and 2024. Her debut early middle grade book SAMARA RUBIN AND THE UTILITY BELT – Book one in THE UTILITY BELT series was released in July 2023.
Please find Sharon Giltrow at her website: Author | Sharon Giltrow (sharongiltrowauthor.com)
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Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! is available for purchase through Dixi Books | Amazon | Dymocks | Paper Bird Children’s Books.
Congratulations, Sharon, on the release of your hilarious new picture book, Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! Can you briefly tell us what it’s about?
Thanks, Romi and thank you for inviting me to share my new book. LET’S GO SHOPPING, GRANDMA! is a story about going shopping with your grandma. But there is a twist. The child is taking grandma shopping and it is not easy. First Grandma refuses to go, then she dawdles to the bus. When they finally get to the shops there are many more hilarious mishaps. LET’S GO SHOPPING, GRANDMA is full of heart and humour. It encourages the reader to walk in someone else’s shoes.
This is the third in your amusing role-reversal series, with Bedtime, Daddy! and Get Ready, Mama already winning audiences over with their ‘less-than-responsible’ parental antics! Why did you write this series?
I started writing this series back in 2018 when my children were much younger. Putting my children to bed, getting them ready for the day and taking them shopping was very much a part of my everyday life. I wanted to write about what I knew and at that stage that was parenting young children. I also wanted to write books that both parents and children could relate to, while at the same time helping them to see the funny side of life.
Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! is a funny snapshot of a typical shopping trip, except with a dawdling, quick-tempered, overly-zealous Grandma. What else can you tell us about Grandma and her more responsible young grandchild?
Grandma loves chocolate! She also loves her grandchild. I wanted this love to be shine throughout the book. Dhwani’s illustrations really show the loving connection between the characters.
Is this story aimed at teaching parents and grandparents about appropriate behaviour (because kids will know this is much-needed with those generations!)? What do you really hope readers will benefit from with your book?
Empathy for other people. To encourage the reader to see the point of view of other people. Grandparent appreciation.
The story is written with trolleys-full of imagination and humour. What did you enjoy most about the writing process? How would you describe your style?
I enjoyed researching and remembering all the difficulty and funny things toddlers (grandmas) do at the shops. It was fun to write an ode to parenting and use my own children as muse. My style of writing is very much a tongue in cheek look at everyday life.
Do you have a favourite part of the book?
The second last spread where Grandma is waving goodbye to the bus driver and then getting a piggy-back ride home. The children love this image, they find it hilarious and always comment on how strong the child must be.
The illustrations by Dhwani Gosalia are brilliantly matched to your comedic narrative with their vivacious energy, bright colours and perfectly-befitting facial expressions! What was the collaboration with the illustrator like throughout the process? What do you love most about Dhwani’s work?
Dhwan lives in Mumbai and I live in Australia, so the distance between Dhwani and I was great but so was the collaboration. The publisher Dixi Books introduced as via email. They encouraged us to communicate with each other throughout the process. This worked really well. So, from the initial character sketches to the final version Dhwani and I collaborated. Dhwani was very open to any suggestions I had about the illustrations. What I love most about Dhwani’s illustrations is the bright colours. As well as how Dhwani portrayed the characters. You can see that grandma is kind and cheeky and the child is very responsible and persistent.
Fun Questions:
- Where is your favourite place to shop?
The fresh food market. Where I can handpick my fruit and vegetables (and buy an armful of chocolates).
- What is your favourite treat?
Chocolate and freshly baked cinnamon scrolls.
- Who is more responsible when it comes to shopping – you or your children?
Me when I go food shopping. But my children when it comes to clothes shopping. My daughter often asks me, “Mum do you really need to buy such and such.” Or “Mum that’s enough.”
- Do you have any favourite memories of your Grandma to share?
I am the youngest of eight children, so I didn’t get to know my grandparent. But I have many fond memories of my children with their grandparents. Plus, I love seeing grandparents spending time with their grandies and what better way to do this then to share a story and a snack (chocolate).
- Name five words to describe yourself.
Generous (especially when it comes to chocolate), funny, organised, creative and kind.
Anything else you’d like to share about yourself or Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma!?
Don’t tell anyone but I do online food shopping and click and collect now😉. No more in shop antics for me. Also, next year there will be another addition to my role reversal family. A story about taking Grandpa to the beach. This is based on going to the beach with my dad and taking my children to the beach.
Thanks so much for answering our questions, Sharon! We love Grandma and can’t wait for Grandpa’s adventures, too!😊
“Grandparents and children have a special connection that is proven to both make grandparents live longer, and also make children more emotionally resilient. Grandparents Day is an opportunity to treasure that connection and spend some quality family time together. Sharing a story is a great way to celebrate Grandparents Day and a Grandparents love.”
Join us on this fun shopping adventure with Sharon Giltrow and her hilarious picture book, Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma!, consuming readers across the blogosphere!
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