Meatballs for Grandpa

by Jeanette Fazzari Jones (Author) Jaclyn Sinquett (Illustrator)

Meatballs for Grandpa
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

In this sensory-rich picture book, a little girl and her grandparents make the family’s traditional spaghetti and meatballs recipe together—and hope to jog Grandpa’s fading memory.

For Felicia, the days spent making meatballs for Grandpa are some of the best ever! Grandpa no longer remembers much, but he loves to help cook. Grandma and Felicia know just what to do so that they’ll get the perfect sizzle, tang, and magic in their mouths. But Felicia also knows that cooking together makes more than a meal—sometimes it even helps Grandpa remember. Together they get their hands dirty and make the savory meal of spaghetti and meatballs in the family’s Italian tradition. And then, they mangia!

Woven with vibrant sounds, smells, and flavors, this is a heartwarming story about food, family, and heritage. A glossary of Italian words and a recipe for tomato sauce and meatballs is included.

Select format:
Hardcover
$17.99

Kirkus

The text continues its gentle humor and carefully chosen phrases—including some in (translated) Italian—until the table is set and all three sit down to a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.

Review quotes

"A sweet tale about the power of food, laced with meaningful lessons." —Kirkus Reviews

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781662512049
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Two Lions
Publication date
March 12, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
JUV050000 - Juvenile Fiction | Cooking & Food
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Grandparent and child
Grandfathers
Memory
Cooking, Italian
Memory disorders in old age
Meatballs

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