Roller Coaster Kid
-
- $7.99
-
- $7.99
Publisher Description
A grandfather and grandson share a special love
Zach and his grandpa love all of the same things . . . except the roller coaster. His grandpa once rode it one hundred times! But Zach doesn't like the roller coaster. So when Grandpa goes on it every summer, Zach goes on the Big wheel with Grandma. She understands. But one summer, Grandma is gone and Grandpa is not the same. He misses her terribly. So does Zach.
But he also wants his grandpa to be happy again. What will it take? Maybe a ride on the roller coaster? Heart-warming and uplifting, here is a story for every family that loves and cares for one another.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"When the time is right, you'll face your fear," Zach's grandmother tells him as they ride the Ferris wheel after he refuses to ride the Whipper roller coaster with Grandpa. Rodman's (Camp K-9) moving story of grief and intergenerational ties then skips ahead a year; "everything's different. Grandma's gone. Forever." Hoping to cheer up Grandpa, Zach suggests they ride the Whipper. "I'm facing my fear, but I sure don't feel brave," thinks Zach, who is angry afterward when his grandfather doesn't praise him as Grandma would have for braving the ride. In a candid conversation, the two confide for the first time that they miss Grandma, resulting in a breakthrough in their relationship. Rodman gives the story just the right measure of emotion ("Grandpa smiles. Not like he used to, but a smile all the same"), while underlining the importance of mourning and communication. Well-tuned to the narrative, Roth's (Star of the Week) detailed and delicately drafted watercolors capture the nostalgic aura of the seaside amusement park, Zach's ricocheting emotions, and his deep bond with both grandparents. Ages 4 up.
