For children processing the loss of a loved one, this tender story beautifully portrays a young girl's quiet grief and her comforting new bond with her grandfather.
A parent should reach for this book when their child is quietly grieving the death of a grandparent or other close loved one. This tender, short chapter book follows a young girl named Austin as she spends time with her grandfather for the first time since her grandmother's death. Together, they navigate their shared sadness not through big talks, but through small, shared activities like fishing, cooking, and picking berries. The story beautifully illustrates how continuing traditions and creating new ones can be a comforting way to process loss. For children aged 7-10, it's a gentle, reassuring story that normalizes grief and highlights the enduring power of family love across generations.
The book deals directly with the death of a grandparent, which occurs before the story begins. The approach is secular and realistic, focusing on the emotional experience of loss and remembrance. The resolution is deeply hopeful, emphasizing that love and memory continue and that new, beautiful relationships can grow even in the midst of grief. It shows healing as a process of carrying on, not just moving on.
Ideal Reader
The ideal reader is an elementary-aged child (7-10) who has recently lost a grandparent and is processing their grief in a quiet, internal way. This book is perfect for a sensitive child who might be overwhelmed by more direct or didactic stories about death, and who will find comfort in the gentle pace and focus on small, loving actions.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. Its gentle nature requires little to no preparation. However, parents should be ready for the story to be a catalyst for their child to share their own feelings or memories. Reading it together, especially the first chapter where Austin's sadness is most evident, would be beneficial for creating a safe space for conversation. A parent might reach for this after seeing their child become withdrawn or quiet following a death in the family. Another trigger could be an upcoming visit with a widowed grandparent, with the parent feeling unsure how to navigate the new dynamic. The parent senses the child's sadness but isn't sure how to open a conversation.
Age Experience
A younger child (7-8) will connect with the concrete actions: learning to fish, the surprise of the glowing blackberries, the process of making jam. They will understand the core sadness of missing Grandma. An older child (9-10) will be more attuned to the emotional subtext: the grandfather's own grief, the significance of passing on traditions, and the beautiful, unspoken understanding that grows between him and Austin.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many books on grief that focus on big emotions or heavenly reunions, this book's unique strength is its quietness and subtlety. It champions the healing power of everyday routines and shared, gentle moments. It uniquely focuses on the evolving, tender relationship between the surviving grandparent and the child, showing how they learn to be a new kind of family unit together.
Read plot summary
A young girl, Austin, visits her grandfather alone for the first time since her grandmother's death. The story follows their quiet days together as they navigate their shared grief. Grandpa teaches Austin things Grandma used to do, like how to bait a fishing hook and row a boat. Their bond deepens through these shared activities, culminating in a loving tribute to Grandma as they make blackberry jam and Grandpa reveals a magical surprise he created for Austin.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Grandpa shows Austin how to do things Grandma used to do, like baiting a hook and rowing the boat. Why do you think doing these things together was important for them?
2
Austin notices her grandmother's things are still in the house, like her apron and rubber boots. How do these objects help Austin and Grandpa remember her?
3
At the end, Grandpa surprises Austin by painting the blackberries with glowing paint. What did this surprise tell Austin about her grandpa's love for her and his memory of Grandma?
4
Austin and her grandpa don't talk a lot about being sad, but we know they are. What are some of the quiet ways they show their love and take care of each other in the story?
