A sweet intergenerational picture book celebrating the beauty of downsizing, decluttering, and accepting change. This warm, thoughtful story makes space for what truly matters: family.
A heartfelt tool for parents to teach their kids mindfulness, gratitude, and the gentle way of letting go of what no longer serves you.
When Grandma announces she is moving from her big old house to a little new condo, she and her family realize she has too many things. They just won't fit in her new place!
Luckily they have a solution: everyone will help Grandma downsize! But while they sort through, they realize that everyday items like art supplies, jewelry, and books possess unique memories and stories that they hold dear.
The family finds the solution in creating three piles: Keep, Donate, and Throw Away. As each pile grows, Grandma realizes it will be okay, so long as she saves space in her new condo--and her heart--for those she loves most.
When Grandma feels overwhelmed by the enormity of downsizing from her large home to a small condominium, her grandchild makes an important suggestion. The grandchild, who narrates, isn’t so sure about Grandma’s move: “Trouble is I like that big old house with the porch swing and the deep bathtub and the canopy bed where I sleep when I visit.” The youngster, Mom, and Grandma, all of whom are pale-skinned, start grouping items into three categories—keep, donate, and throw away—but the “keep” pile becomes unwieldy. But the narrator remembers a teacher’s wise words: “start with the easiest part and work your way up.” Beginning with tangled electrical cords and rolls of tape, over the course of a week the trio eventually declutter the house all the way to an acceptable outcome. All three characters exhibit warmth and respect for each other: Mom proposes a storage unit when Grandma’s reluctant to throw things out, and, later, the little one insists that Grandma keep a pendant that was a gift from Grandpa. Sensitive, quietly humorous text is well matched by softly colored pen-and-ink drawings. Together, they capture subtle mood changes as three generations sort through years of accumulated belongings, all steeped in emotion. The tale ends sweetly and without drama—reminiscent of the late Robert McCloskey’s picture books but with a contemporary feel. A gentle, useful, and empathetic resource for anyone facing the often painful prospect of decluttering. —Kirkus Reviews
Molly Beth Griffin is a graduate of Hamline University's MFA program in writing for children and young adults and a writing teacher at the Loft Literary Center in the Twin Cities. She is the author of Ten Beautiful Things; Loon Baby; Just Us; Far, Far Away; and Silhouette of a Sparrow.
Anait Semirdzhyan has a passion for illustrating children's books. She is the illustrator of several picture books such as Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day, The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale, and The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story. She lives in Seattle with her husband and twin daughters. www.anaitsart.com
A sweet intergenerational picture book celebrating the beauty of downsizing, decluttering, and accepting change. This warm, thoughtful story makes space for what truly matters: family.
A heartfelt tool for parents to teach their kids mindfulness, gratitude, and the gentle way of letting go of what no longer serves you.
When Grandma announces she is moving from her big old house to a little new condo, she and her family realize she has too many things. They just won't fit in her new place!
Luckily they have a solution: everyone will help Grandma downsize! But while they sort through, they realize that everyday items like art supplies, jewelry, and books possess unique memories and stories that they hold dear.
The family finds the solution in creating three piles: Keep, Donate, and Throw Away. As each pile grows, Grandma realizes it will be okay, so long as she saves space in her new condo--and her heart--for those she loves most.
Reviews
When Grandma feels overwhelmed by the enormity of downsizing from her large home to a small condominium, her grandchild makes an important suggestion. The grandchild, who narrates, isn’t so sure about Grandma’s move: “Trouble is I like that big old house with the porch swing and the deep bathtub and the canopy bed where I sleep when I visit.” The youngster, Mom, and Grandma, all of whom are pale-skinned, start grouping items into three categories—keep, donate, and throw away—but the “keep” pile becomes unwieldy. But the narrator remembers a teacher’s wise words: “start with the easiest part and work your way up.” Beginning with tangled electrical cords and rolls of tape, over the course of a week the trio eventually declutter the house all the way to an acceptable outcome. All three characters exhibit warmth and respect for each other: Mom proposes a storage unit when Grandma’s reluctant to throw things out, and, later, the little one insists that Grandma keep a pendant that was a gift from Grandpa. Sensitive, quietly humorous text is well matched by softly colored pen-and-ink drawings. Together, they capture subtle mood changes as three generations sort through years of accumulated belongings, all steeped in emotion. The tale ends sweetly and without drama—reminiscent of the late Robert McCloskey’s picture books but with a contemporary feel. A gentle, useful, and empathetic resource for anyone facing the often painful prospect of decluttering. —Kirkus Reviews
Author
Molly Beth Griffin is a graduate of Hamline University's MFA program in writing for children and young adults and a writing teacher at the Loft Literary Center in the Twin Cities. She is the author of Ten Beautiful Things; Loon Baby; Just Us; Far, Far Away; and Silhouette of a Sparrow.
Anait Semirdzhyan has a passion for illustrating children's books. She is the illustrator of several picture books such as Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day, The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale, and The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story. She lives in Seattle with her husband and twin daughters. www.anaitsart.com
