"When summer started, I got Grampa's stopwatch. I don't want his stopwatch. I want him." Remembering the many ways the stopwatch was part of being together, whether Grampa timed eating bubblegum ice cream or how long it took a caterpillar to travel up a pant leg, feels too painful for this grieving white child. The stopwatch is buried in a sweater drawer, and stays there as seasons pass. When the stopwatch is finally rediscovered, the sharp pain of loss has ebbed, and the watch triggers warm and welcome memories of the beloved grandparent. This story about loss, grief, and healing is both appealing and accessible.
(Ages 4-8)