This is a story about family, love, and loss.
It is written in a lyrical form accompanied with beautiful illustration. Every word and phrase gives the reader a clear, memorable and concrete image — love for someone will always stay with us even when they are not around.
I love how the author describes the little girl's time spent with her grandfather until one day he is no longer around. Although this book does not discuss how the girl feels when losing her grandfather, one can easily see how she copes with it by looking at the activities she had engaged with her grandfather.
This book packs an emotional punch that deals with a sensitive topic: death. It is such a taboo to discuss in some cultures. I would say reading this book to a child who has experienced loss will definitely be of great help in coping with the loss.
I am grateful that I have this wonderful poetic heart-breaking story added to my library. It is not only a story about death but also emphasises the celebration of life - cherish every moment with your loved ones.
Literacy Tip:
Inferencing Skills:
Students can use text and images to make inferences by studying them. Readers could use sentence starters " I infer.... I think..."
For example when the author says "If all the world were spring time, I would replant my grandad's birthday so that he would never get old" - what can the reader would infer from this text?