The Hello, Goodbye Window

Juster, Norton.  2005.  The Hello, Goodbye Window.  Ill. by Chris Raschka.  Hyperion: Michael Di Capua  Books.  ISBN 0786809140

The Hello, Goodbye Window explores the world of a granddaughter visiting her grandparents for an overnight stay.  The story takes place entirely within the boundaries of the grandparents’ home, usually the kitchen, where the hello, goodbye window is located; however, there are excursions into the yard and garden.  The story takes the reader through the house and the course of the stay by describing those things that are special between grandparents and granddaughter.  

The story follows her intermittently throughout her visit depicting the wonder of daily life through the eyes of a child:  from the way families greet one another to working in a garden with Nanny and listening to Poppy play his harmonica.  The placement of the window in the book assists the tracking of time through the story.  After being led through the activities of the family, our protagonist expresses feelings both happy and sad when it’s time to go home. 

The window represents the imaginative spirit of our young protagonist; through this window alone she can imagine any visitor, but not through any other window.  The imaginative and explorative spirit is what reigns in this book.  The illustrations by Chris Raschka help drive the emotion of the story. 

Though they are cartoonish, there is no room for doubt when a character is happy, sad or worried.  The bright colors emphasize the freshness of the world and the energized outlook of the characters.  The story also touches upon the conflicting emotions children often have when parting from someone they love with someone else they love. 

The story is told entirely through the eyes of the child.  From the text to the pictures, the reader only receives what the child interprets.  Raschka’s illustrations complement the story well by matching the child-like drawings to the child-like voice.  Additionally, the illustrations offer an approachability based on cultural markers. 

The family depicted is a modern, interracial family, and will add to the book’s desirability for this underrepresented population; however, because this aspect is not intrusive or meant to spark a conversation, the story remains simple and innocent throughout the book. 

The Hello, Goodbye Window was honored with a Caldecott Medal in 2005. 

“Say hello to Raschka at the top of his form.” (The Horn Book, July/August 2005)

“…an exciting and fanciful world…”  (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, July/August 2005)

“…grandparents especially will be charmed by this relaxed account of how a child's visit occasions every day magic.”  (Publishers Weekly, February 2005)