This is a sweet, heartfelt story about a child, who feels very deeply the loss of his grandfather. They were buddies and a stopwatch that he is holding (his grandfather’s) is a symbol of their shared memories. The child is honest, though and says, “I don’t want his stopwatch. I want him.” He tosses the item into a drawer and time seems to drag on, dark and lonely. Seasons pass and he finds his grandpa’s watch again. Now, it brings him happy memories, about which he can begin to smile. He starts to use it again and includes his younger sibling in timing some of the same things he did with grandpa.

The story is lovely and a realistic portrayal of the grief that a child feels about the passing of a loved one. Soft, gentle illustrations add to the melancholic tone of the words, with just the right amount of color. The child’s face is expressive and matches the feelings that he expresses. Highly recommended. This will lead to very meaningful discussions when needed.