- true story of author’s childhood
- a boy has a beautiful relationship with his grandmothers
- a gentle way to introduce to young readers to the reality of grief/loss
- the boy (author) thinks shooting stars are kisses from his grandmother
- a witch mentioned
Type: picture book
Ages: 4-8
Author/Illustrator: Tomie dePaola
The multi-generational component of this book is absolutely beautiful. The younger generations serving their elders, the children having respect and friendship with the seniors, etc.
This shouldn’t be the *only* book used to introduce children to the topic of death, since it’s secular and missing important biblical components, but it could definitely be one of them.
Knowing it’s a true story also helps with appreciating it.