Book picks similar to
Dear Grandpa by Kate Simpson


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The Tide


Clare Helen Welsh - 2019
    But sometimes, its difficult, because Grandpa has become forgetful. Grandpa's memories are like the tide, Mommy explains. Sometimes, they're near and full of life. Other times, they're distant and quiet. The Tide is a story about families, laughter, and how we can help a loved one with dementia live well.

Out


Angela May George - 2016
    A little girl flees her homeland, making a long and treacherous boat journey with her mother to seek asylum in Australia. Starting a new life is challenging, but they work hard to create a new home. Told from the little girl's point of view, the story is both heartbreaking and triumphant, allowing timely and sensitive discussion of what drives people to become refugees and the challenges they face.

Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse


Marcy Campbell - 2018
    Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.

First Laugh--Welcome, Baby!


Rose Ann Tahe - 2018
    Who will earn the honor in this story?The First Laugh Ceremony is a celebration held to welcome a new member of the community. As everyone--from Baby's nima (mom) to nadi (big sister) to cheii (grandfather)--tries to elicit the joyous sound from Baby, readers are introduced to details about Navajo life and the Navajo names for family members. Back matter includes information about other cultural ceremonies that welcome new babies and children, including man yue celebration (China), sanskaras (Hindu) and aquiqa (Muslim).

Song and Dance Man


Karen Ackerman - 1988
    in full color. "In this affectionate story, three children follow their grandfather up to the attic, where he pulls out his old bowler hat, gold-tipped cane, and his tap shoes. Grandpa once danced on the vaudeville stage, and as he glides across the floor, the children can see what it was like to be a song and dance man. Gammell captures all the story's inherent joie de vivre with color pencil renderings that leap off the pages. Bespectacled, enthusiastic Grandpa clearly exudes the message that you're only as old as you feel, but the children respond--as will readers--to the nostalgia of the moment. Utterly original."--(starred) Booklist.

My Day with Gong Gong


Sennah Yee - 2020
    Gong Gong doesn't speak much English, and May can't understand Chinese. She's hungry, and bored with Gong Gong's errands. Plus, it seems like Gong Gong's friends are making fun of her! But just when May can’t take any more, Gong Gong surprises her with a gift that reveals he’s been paying more attention than she thought.A glossary at the end of the book features translations of the Chinese words from the story into Chinese characters and English.

Paper Planes


Allayne L. Webster - 2014
    The siege lasts for three years and Niko's family struggle to find enough food and avoid the snipers whose targets are civilians in the streets. Niko and his friend Nadim take refuge from the bombing in the stairwell of their apartment building and together they find hope in the midst of a war they did not start but must try to survive.

George Shrinks


William Joyce - 1985
    But taking care of his giant baby brother and brushing his teeth can be real challenges for the mouse-sized George.Ages 3-7

Year of the Jungle


Suzanne Collins - 2013
    Suzy spends her year in first grade waiting for her father, who is serving in Vietnam, and when the postcards stop coming she worries that he will never make it home.

The Secret Birthday Message


Eric Carle - 1972
    A message in code starts Tim off on an exciting treasure hunt through a dark cave, an underground tunnel, and other strange places until at the end he finds a happy surprise.

Just A Girl


Jackie French - 2018
    And after 2000 years, the story of her brave and remarkable life continues to inspire and enthrall us, as that young woman from Nazareth wasnever 'just a girl'. Who was Mary of Nazareth, the most famous woman in all of history? In 72 AD, as the Roman army pillages Judea and destroys their village, killing and enslaving its inhabitants, fourteen-year-old Judith hides with her younger sister, her great-grandmother Rabba and an unwilling goat in a storage cave used for storage. Judith is 'just a girl', but her skills will save them - and help escaped Roman slave Caius survive as well. Wolves - and humans - threaten them all during that long, icy winter, but there are feasts of stored, and scavenged food to enjoy as they listen to Rabba tell stories of her youth; of her wealthy marriage in Jerusalem and her life in Nazareth as a child. But there is one story Rabba will not tell, no matter how much they coax her. It is the story of Maryiam, her beloved friend who faced the scandal and shame of an unwed pregnancy and the anguish of seeing her son crucified. Yet the example of the woman Maryiam, who showed how pain and humiliation can become the most joyous story in the world, will give Judith and her younger sister and Caius the courage to step beyond their refuge. Because like Judith, 'Maryiam of Nazareth' was never 'just a girl'. Based on primary sources, this book tells the story of the Mary behind the legend, of her life and her extraordinary legacy, still an inspiration after 2000 years.

Town Is by the Sea


Joanne Schwartz - 2017
    He goes about his day, calling on a friend, going to the store for his mom and visiting his grandfather's grave. But all the while, his mind strays to his father who is digging for coal deep under the sea.Written by Joanne Schwartz, this beautifully understated and haunting story brings a piece of history to life. Stunning illustrations by Sydney Smith, the award-winning illustrator of Sidewalk Flowers, show the striking contrast between a sparkling seaside day and the darkness underground where the miners dig.--front flap

I Dream of Popo


Livia Blackburne - 2021
    She misses her popo every day, but even if their visits are fleeting, their love is ever true and strong.

Auntie Claus


Elise Primavera - 1999
    She lives in penthouse 25C at the Bing Cherry Hotel and is "so "curioso! After all, Auntie Claus serves Christmas cookies all year long and her tree is always the best-decorated in the city. And then there's her annual "business trip," right around the holidays. This year Sophie is determined to get to the bottom of Auntie Claus's mysterious ways. Put on your mittens and bundle up for an adventure beyond your wildest dreams. "Ho, ho, ho!"

Big Boys Cry


Jonty Howley - 2019
    When his father tries to comfort Levi, he falls back on the line his own father used to use with him: "Big boys don't cry." Though he immediately understands his misstep, he can't find the words to right the ship, and Levi leaves for school, still in need of reassurance.Fortunately, along his walk to school, Levi sees instance after instance of grown men openly expressing their sadness and fear. His learned mantra, "big boys don't cry," slowly weakens, and by the time he's at school he releases a tear. Once there, things aren't so bad after all, and on his walk home he sees the characters he's encounted on his journey in the aftermath of their expression.Upon his arrival home, he finds his father waiting for him on their porch, tears in his eyes. He's able to admit that he was scared for Levi, and the two embrace, closer than before.Jonty Howley's gorgeous debut paints the world we wish existed for our boys, and offers a path there! This story is the truest interpretation of the notion that we should "let boys be boys"; that is: let them express the full range of their emotions, vulnerable pieces and all!