Our Corner Grocery Store

By Joanne Schwartz

Book Overview

This picture book for ages 3-7 celebrates neighborhood communities and the local businesses that help them thrive. For fans of Oge Mora's Thank You, Omu

Anna Maria's day of helping in her grandparents' corner grocery store is filled with activity, friendly faces and an array of dry goods and delectable treats. There is so much to do -- making signs, setting out local produce, weighing purchases -- but Anna Maria doesn't mind. You see, this is no ordinary place: Nonno Domenico and Nonna Rosa's store is where neighbors meet, share their news and make friends. Whether they are hungry, looking for a bargain, in need of a recipe or simply searching for something new to try, they can find it here in Our Corner Grocery Store.

From beloved picture book author Joanne Schwartz (Town is by the Sea) and charmingly illustrated by Laura Beingessner, Our Corner Grocery Store commemorates its sixteenth anniversary of celebrating all the independent merchants who add color and flavor to our local neighborhoods with a brand-new cover.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1774887916
• ISBN13: 9781774887912
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 10.1" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

A delight to share

This is a great book to read aloud. Small towns and neighborhoods on both sides of the Atlantic still have family-owned grocery stores in places where supermarkets aren't interested in invading. This lovely book shows how the store carries a wide assortment of things and demonstrates what the owners do to keep it ready for shoppers. We see the neighborhood and the family as the day goes on and even a few words in Italian that are easily understood. Wonderful! The illustrations by Laura Beingessner are intricate, brilliantly colorful, and fun. Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library! Pub Date Sep 02, 2025 I requested and received a temporary uncorrected galley proof from Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books via NetGalley. ***** #review #goodreads #storygraph #NetGalley @librarythingofficial #OurCornerGroceryStore by Joanne Schwartz @joanneschwartz11 and illustrated by @laurabeingessner @tundrabooks @penguinrandomca #kidlit #picturebooks #Canadianauthors #childrensbookillustration @childrensbookcouncil #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk @indigo #kidsbooks #Canada #foodstore #family #readtome

Awesome kids book that supports shopping local small businesses.

This was a fun kids book that I enjoyed, and would be glad to have in my own personal library someday. It's completely kid-friendly and doesn't have any wokeist agenda or ideology laced in the story at all. Kudos on that! This read features a young girl helping her Italian grandparents in their small local grocery store. I really liked the artwork by Laura Beingessner which was both classic and tasteful. I highly recommend this read. Thank you to Tundra Book Group for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.