I Miss My Grandpa, written by Jin Xiaojing, is about a girl who misses her grandpa whom she never met. Her grandma, along with other members of the family, help the girl learn about her grandpa by comparing the traits of different family members to those of her grandpa. This helped the girl develop a better understanding not only what her grandpa looked like (“Your youngest uncle, Mason, has a face shaped most like your grandpa’s”) but also what type of person he was (“When your grandpa looked at the world, he was quiet and patient like a crocodile.”). This book is a great resource when talking with young children about loss and remembrance.
I read this book multiple times with a seven year old who recently lost her grandmother. The first time we read the book together she mostly listened and talked about the illustrations. The second time we read it she began connecting with the story, sharing what she remembered about her grandmother. Here is some of what she shared:
“My Gram looked like my mom”
“I think my nose looks like my Gram’s nose”
“I will always love her.”
