Can You Whistle, Johanna?

What a treasure of a fable. A very quick read, illustrated, but it's got humor, pathos, and a heck of a lot of wisdom. Definitely for all ages. Perfect for a family to read aloud together, whether or not they have (or have lost) a grandfather. Secular, but with enough of a spiritual vibe that I don't imagine Christians will be bothered.

There is a cigar, and some *very* petty 'theft' so you might want to be ready to discuss those aspects with your children.

I like the idea of this story. After hearing his friend talk about all the fun he has with his grandpa, he decides to get him one too. After a visit to a nursing home, Ned adopts a grandfather. In general I like this idea, but Ned sees it as a way to get money and presents. He soon learns that grandpas are for many wonderful things. But he misses his opportunity to say good buy while trying to learn to whistle. This book was just too sad for me. It was lovely, but sad.