#529 - What Happened to Grandpa

by Nandini Nayar and illustrated by Aditi Anand

“What Happened to Grandpa” by Nandini Nayar and illustrated by Aditi Anand. Published by Penguin. A moving story of a little girl who celebrates the special bonding that she shares with her grandfather through his life and memories.

The narrative is by the little girl who loves spending her time with her beloved grandpa. However things are beginning to change in their lives. Grandpa is no longer the same. He is beginning to forget a lot of things. Words were slipping away from his vocabulary and names of people whom he knew were getting mixed up. He started getting lost as he began forgetting the paths and ways to go around. For a person who loved to travel, this was not a good sign.

While the adults around her were discussing what was happening to her grandpa, the little girl was busy getting used to the changes in him. It was up to her now to remind everyone about all that grandpa used to do earlier. She has to share his adventures and stories. Will that help them remember grandpa for what he had been once? Will they be able to celebrate his life alongside her? Read this beautiful tale of love and loss which is bound to being back memories of the priceless bond that we share with our grandparents.

This stunning picture book captivated the hearts of both me and my almost ten year old. A sense of warmth, longing and nostalgia swept over us as we read the simple yet powerful narrative. The little girl and her grandpa shared a special bond which has been portrayed in such a charming manner. She keeps the memories of her grandpa alive through his stories and all the things which he has left behind. We loved the way in which grandpa and the girl have been shown trying to find solutions to whatever challenges were coming up in his way. The story has been woven deftly using the themes of love, bonding with grandparents, empathy, loss, memories and longing. The illustrations portray the story fabulously bringing it to life. The feelings of the girl come through beautifully both in the narrative as well as the illustrations. The book is a good means of talking to children about  neurological diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s which result in forgetting things and cause decline in a person’s condition gradually. Given how common these kind of disorders are becoming, it is good to have awareness so that we can be empathetic and understanding when we see someone going through such situations.

Recommended Age

The story is apt for children aged 6 and above.

Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Penguin India, for review. Thank you to Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the book!