Grandpa's Stories

Starred review from April 15, 2019
A sensitive child grapples with the impending loss of her kind, gray-haired grandfather as the two spend time together throughout the seasons. In autumn, he makes her a notebook; in winter, she sits on his lap as he “tells me tales from when he was a boy, of Indian sweets and homemade toys.” Using conditional statements with lyrical metaphors and similes, the girl imagines the ways she might hold onto him: “If all the world were springtime, I would replant my grandpa’s birthdays so that he would never get old.” Colpoys illustrates with loose, painterly lines in citrus and light blue shades—the child is pictured surrounded by an overgrown meadow of blooming wildflowers, her dark scribbly curls visually echoing the plants’ tendrils. After her grandfather dies, the girl discovers that writing and drawing her memories of him helps keep him close. Readers mourning a grandparent or other family member may find solace through Coelho’s sentiments about love living on through cherished memories. Ages 4–8.

April 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 3-This is a gentle tale about a young girl processing the death of her beloved grandpa. The title opens with a small child holding her grandpa's hand. He says, "You're too old to hold hands." The next page depicts the duo looking up at a bird's nest and talking: "We explore hand in hand the budding springtime." Even though the message is a difficult one, the illustrations effectively lighten the mood. For example, the next page of text says, "If all the world were springtime I would replant my grandpa's birthdays so that he would never get old." There is a two-page spread of illustrations showing the girl surrounded by wildflowers, including red poppies, red coneflowers, white daisies, and yellow black-eyed Susans, as critters such as brightly colored butterflies, ladybugs and a snail enjoy the world. The story goes through the seasons and portrays the girl and her grandpa enjoying adventures together. His death is conveyed when the readers are shown grandpa's empty chair with his slippers. The narrative continues with the girl helping her parents clean Grandpa's room and discovering he kept souvenirs of their special times together. To honor his memory, she writes and draws about past experiences with Grandpa. VERDICT A highly recommended first purchase for public and school libraries, and a good resource for parents and children trying to figure out ways to cope with grief.-Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2019
A young girl spends time with her beloved grandfather--but then must cope with losing him.In spring, she takes long walks with Grandpa, holding hands, exploring "the budding springtime." Each season brings new memories--racing toy cars, a gift of a handmade notebook, tales from Grandpa's childhood in India. Nostalgia follows each season's activities; she sits alone on a page crowded with flowers and butterflies saying, "If all the world were springtime, / I would replant my grandpa's birthdays / so he would never get old." She wishes she could make her grandpa better just by listening, but the day comes when his chair is empty. A final gift he made and left for her, a new, handmade notebook, is just the place to "write and draw, / and write / all my Grandpa / memories inside." The smiles and hugs this endearing pair shares will make readers want to cherish those they love. Strong strokes in primary colors against a white background create dynamic images full of details to pore over. The girl's parents and grandpa share a dark brown complexion, and the girl's dark curls echo the red curls of a white grandma in family photographs.This lyrical tale of love, change, loss, and the healing power of art and memory will move readers of all ages. (Picture book. 4-12)

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