In tender, exquisite poems addressed to her small grandson, Ezra, Roberta Visser captures the essence of what it means to be a grandmother. The poems depict her joy at her relationship with the child even before he can speak, giving him her stories, her love, her Jewish heritage, her hopes for his life.  And through these words she becomes for him a repository of memory, as if God had commanded her to act as translator of what has come before. These beautiful necessary poems are both legacy and spiritual quest.

 — Patricia Fargnoli, author of Winter, Hobblebush Books

Roberta Visser’s slim volume is presented as poetry written for her grandson, Ezra. No mere doting grandmother, Visser gently beckons little Ezra to peer with her into a mysterious well of endless beauty.  Her range is impressive. In one moment, she entertains with sly tricks of letter and sound. In another, she invites us to join a serious yet rollicking inquiry into theology. The warm interior spaces of kitchen and weathered garden shed become portals for time travel, as Visser shows us the unbroken thread of generations. Old lives and even ancient lives reach back to draw new lives along. This charmingly illustrated book is at once a stunningly intimate legacy to Visser's grandchild and a beautifully conveyed universal observation of everything that really matters.

 — Amy Loewenthal, rabbi of Congregation Ahavas Achim

I have come to love the cover, the title, and sometimes leave the book out so that a friend or family member picks it up, it seems intuitively.  I lent my copy to one person who later told me that the poetry and artwork transported him back to his own childhood... and he needed to keep the book forever! 

On the other hand, I like the idea of a child growing into a book, and this seems to be the truth, the raison d’être, behind this collection of poems.  The poet’s awareness of a child listener or reader is evident in every phrase. A commitment to every child’s potential for growth, for happiness, for good works is at the heart of this collection.

 And, it is by her craft that Visser turns every poem into something magical, musical, and yet a poem where intonations of adult experiences exert benign energy. The poems, so beautifully illustrated, encourage a young child to notice, to explore, to ask about his or her world.  They also offer the adult reader a journey through the metaphysical questions we all consider throughout our lives.                     

 — Destine Graf, teacher/instructor, Literature and Writing  

So much love and wonder are packed into these poems by Roberta Visser and also much seeing and connectedness. The voice that speaks in them with such awareness, joyfulness and authenticity tells what it means to be deeply related, and the delightful illustrations amplify the meaning for people of all ages. I've bought several copies to give as gifts and keep thinking of others who would love —and in fact need— to spend time with these pages. Highly recommended!

— Jane Meneghini

Roberta Visser's writing is elegant, beautiful, heartfelt, delightful, and very moving. How wonderful for Roberta's grandson, Ezra to have these magnificent poems dedicated to him and many about him. My family and I enjoy reading, birds are calling, Elov! Elov! often! The illustrations are lovely and charming, too. With an anagram of "Love" in the title, I can see how much love went into the creation of these poems and illustrations. I love this book and have bought several copies to give as gifts.

— Jane B. Wisan