I’ll Be the Water: A Story of a Grandparent’s Love

Joshua and his grandfather are really close. They like a lot of the same things, and they do a lot of things together, like going fishing on hot days or pretending to be pirates looking for sunken treasure. It doesn’t matter if they never catch a fish or find any treasure. They get to spend time together. One day, Joshua notices Grandpa seems to be getting older. His skin is really wrinkly, and he is a lot slower getting around. He ends up in the hospital. He gets better, but Joshua has a lot of questions about what is to come as Grandpa gets older and will eventually die. Grandpa explains how he felt when his own father died and how some wonderful advice helped him through. He shares that advice with Joshua.

Author Alec Aspinwall has crafted a lovely story that will help young children with the most difficult transitions they will inevitably face. This is a quiet book, and the beautiful illustrations by Nicole Wong are the perfect complement to the charming and moving story. The colors are as soft and gentle as the story itself. This is a book every family should have on hand.