Where is Grandpa? Reviews
—Peggy Beck
New Jersey Educational Media Association's Booktalk
“Here is a poignant, touching, and spiritually evocative tale. I heartily recommend it to families everywhere.”
—Robert Coles, M.D.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Children of Crisis and The Spiritual Life of Children
“The universality of the response to the child's query of 'Where Is
Grandpa?' makes this book appropriate for people of all belief systems.
The staff within our hospice program has found this to be a most
valuable aid in helping children understand and find peace in the loss
of a loved one. I only wish that such a book had been available when my
children were struggling with the death of their dear grandmother.”
—Connie Holden, Executive Director Hospice of Boulder County
“How do grandchildren (or adult children) deal with a beloved
grandparent's death? The Barron family, like many of us, find comfort
in recalling special times—Grandpa's pumpkin-carving marathon, finding
a nest of raccoons in a giant tree trunk, a waterfall that Grandpa
called 'liquid light,' a three-day horseshoe contest. But where is
Grandpa now? The grieving father tells his son that Grandpa is 'any
place where people who love each other have spent time together,' like
up at that waterfall or even in the tree house. And then the boy knows
'it might be all right now' to go to those special places he'd shared
when his grandfather was still alive.”
—Claire Martin, The Denver Post
“A gentle story of a boy's grief when his beloved grandfather dies…. A helpful introduction to death and the grieving process.”
—Virginia Golodetz, School Library Journal
“Barron's young adult novels often use magic and the supernatural as a
way of explaining and demanding respect for nature. In this touching
story, Barron uses nature as a way of helping to explain the life
cycle. When a young boy's grandfather dies, his family shares stories
and memories of him. Grandpa loved nature and during hikes to
waterfalls and climbing expeditions, he taught this love to his family.
The boy decides that for Grandpa, heaven is a world of nature they
shared. Enriched by vibrant plays of light and color, the illustrations
of mountains, waterfalls, and trees are stunning.”
—Booklist
“Although geared to the very young child, this is a book that will
touch the heart of any reader. A little boy has a close relationship
with his grandpa that is ended with the old man's sudden death. As the
family tries to cope with the loss that touches all of them, the little
one asks where his grandpa is now, and the answer is given with a
wisdom that illustrates eloquently why the kingdom of God belongs to
those with children's hearts. If you are struggling with a loss, this
book will touch your heart and provide a bit of comfort, even if you
are much older than the hero.”
—Huntress Reviews
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