Description

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Joshua and his grandfather love being together. More than anything else they love fishing. But Grandpa gets sick and is in the hospital a long time. When he gets out, he and Joshua share one more fishing adventure, and Grandpa promises Joshua that he will always be near.

“Think of it this way,” Grandpa says. “Today, you and I are like two fish swimming together in this lake. When I die, things will be different. I won’t be a fish anymore, but I’ll become something even better. My love will be like the water in the lake. You might think I’m not with you, but we’ll be closer than ever because you’ll be surrounded by my love.” Long after Grandpa dies, Joshua comes to understand that Grandpa kept his promise—and that love and its memory survive death. When grown-up Joshua goes fishing with his daughter, he teaches her what Grandpa taught him: “She knows we never have to feel alone or afraid because we are surrounded by a love that lasts forever.”

“Each memory is like a special gift I can unwrap again and again,” said Grandpa. “And that’s a gift I want to give you, too.”

About the Author

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Alec Aspinwall began his career in education as a school counselor. He and his wife have served in schools in Asia and Europe for twenty-five years, returning whenever they can to their Idaho home. This is his debut book.

Nicole Wong was raised by a designer/painter dad and a fashion illustrator mom and never thought of becoming anything except an illustrator. She has illustrated twenty-five children’s books with collage, egg tempera, oils, watercolor, ink, and other media, including Three Lost Seeds (Tilbury House, 2019) and I’ll Be the Water (Tilbury House, 2020). Her illustrations for Kiyoshi’s Walk (Lee and Low, 2021) earned starred reviews from Kirkus (“captivating”) and SLJ (“wonderful”).

Praise For…

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Aspinwall offers a series
of beautiful similes, allowing even young readers to understand how love can
continue even after a person has passed. While feelings of pain, betrayal, and
anger are acknowledged, it is a warm, embracing, and unbroken love that
remains. A comforting and meaningful
addition to stories about loss and grieving. 
— Kirkus Reviews

This book would be perfect if your child is soon to face the loss of a grandparent or has recently done so. It provides a fresh perspective on death and our connections to loved ones who have gone before us. It does so gently and with a loving spirit that I think a child could connect with and understand at a deep level—even if they could not verbalize its impact. Highly recommended.
— NetGalley Reviewer - NetGalley