A Stopwatch from Grampa

by Loretta Garbutt (Author) Carmen Mok (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
A child inherits a treasured stopwatch that belonged to a beloved grandparent in this touching story of loss that explores the stages of grief with sensitivity and wisdom. "When summer started, I got Grampa's stopwatch," a small child says. "I don't want his stopwatch. I want him." Grampa used to time everything. A race to the end of the street and back: 24 seconds. Eating bubblegum ice cream: 1 minute, 58 seconds. But now, Grampa's gone. "There are no more Grampa minutes, Grampa seconds," the child says. "Time just stops." As the seasons come and go, the stopwatch becomes a cherished symbol of remembrance, and the child uses it to carry on Grampa's favorite pastimes and traditions. Loretta Garbutt uses subtlety and sensitivity to explore the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) in this moving picture book story of loss. It features a gender-neutral main character (no first name or pronouns are given) making the story universally relatable. This is a perfect choice for fostering discussions with children about their emotions, particularly the feeling of loss. It also offers a poignant representation of an intergenerational relationship between a grandfather and grandchild. Carmen Mok's expressive and thoughtful illustrations employ a limited color palette to convey the character's emotional trajectory. There are curriculum applications here in social-emotional development as well as character education lessons in caring and resilience.
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$17.99

School Library Journal

Starred Review

PreS-Gr 2--Told in an unadorned first-person narrative, this story provides an honest depiction of the loss of a grandparent. A child sits alone on a porch swing, holding Grampa's stopwatch, with a forlorn expression that matches the text: "I don't want his stopwatch. I want him." Time seems to have stopped; the summer day is still and quiet, and a dog waits patiently nearby with its ball. The stopwatch unleashes a series of vivid memories. Throwing the memento into a bottom drawer, the youngster faces days that now seem lonely and empty. Seasons pass, though, and "Remembering him feels good. Done in gouache and graphite, the illustrations meld together soft textures, warm backdrops, and appealing splashes of color. The characters' faces are expressive and deftly support the emotions revealed in the text. VERDICT A good discussion starter, this poignant, accessible picture book explores grief, the comfort provided by the passage of time, and the way in which memories allow us to keep loved ones in our hearts forever.--Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

An excellent and understated portrayal of grief from a child's perspective.—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781525301445
Lexile Measure
580
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kids Can Press
Publication date
April 07, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV039030 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Death & Dying
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
Library of Congress categories
Grandparent and child
Grandfathers
Grief
Grief in children
Stopwatches

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