Chris Soentpiet illustrator & author of childrens' books

MY THOUGHTS OF “WHERE IS GRANDPA?”:
Experiencing the beauty of Aspen, Colorado for the first time gave me so much inspiration for the illustrations. I wanted to capture the clean air, the sound of the wind, the trees and the river over the rocks. The story of WHERE IS GRANDPA is very poignant and it tells of a boy who recalls spending time with his beloved grandfather. It is written by TA Barron and the subject of death is not an easy subject to write about however the author does it with such sensitivity and warmth which helps the readers feel at peace with their own personal loss. -Chris Soentpiet

"Here is a poignant, touching, and spiritually evocative tale. I heartily recommend it to families everywhere."
(-Robert Coles, M.D. Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Children of Crisis and The Spiritual Life of Children)

"Barron makes a heartfelt tribute to a deceased loved one in his picture-book debut, which is given stirring visual expression in Soentpiet's dazzling, crystal-clear mountain landscapes."- (Kirkus Reviews)

Barron's (The Lost Years of Merlin) debut picture book, which the flap copy describes as autobiographical, offers a humanist response to death and grieving. On the day that Grandpa dies, a boy listens as his sister, brother and parents share memories of this generous, dynamic man. But he can't bring himself to join in, despite his own fond memories of spending time with Grandpa in the tree house Grandpa had built overlooking the Rockies. At last, the boy asks, "Can anybody tell me... Where is Grandpa now?" Fumbling for a definition of heaven, the father concludes, "Maybe you could say that heaven is any place where people who love each other have shared some time together." Kids may need some help fleshing out this concept, even as the child recalls the wonderful spots he and Grandpa had visited together. Thinking of his grandfather "in all of those places" frees the boy to return to them and, presumably, to carry on with a life that Grandpa has greatly enriched. Depicting stagily lit daytime scenes, electrically hued sunsets and starry nights, Soentpiet's (More Than Anything Else) watercolor tableaux amplify--and perhaps exaggerate--both the natural theater of the majestic mountain setting and the human drama of Barron's graceful story. A useful springboard for dialogue between bereaved adults and children. Ages 4-8. (Jan.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
-(Publishers Weekly)

"The universality of the response to the child's query of 'Where Is Grandpa?' makes this book appropriate for people of all belief systems. The staff within our hospice program has found this to be a most valuable aid in helping children understand and find peace in the loss of a loved one. I only wish that such a book had been available when my children were struggling with the death of their dear grandmother."
-(Connie Holden, Executive Director Hospice of Boulder County)

The day Grandpa dies, the two brothers and sister try to help their father face his father's death. The mother begins by remembering the day she met him, and how comfortable she was with him. The older children take turns talking about Grandpa, remembering the good times, until it's the young narrator's turn. He doesn't really feel like talking, and claims not to remember the wonderful things he and Grandpa did together. What he wants to know is, "Where is Grandpa now?" The father says "heaven," but that's not quite enough for the child. He needs a more detailed explanation, and somehow the father manages to overcome his own grief and give a lovely description of "any place where people who love each other have shared some time together." The child lists all the places he and Grandpa have been, and concludes that yes, that's a good idea. The father and son almost smile, and begin to heal. A touching story, with beautiful illustrations, appropriate for any family. No religious restrictions apply. A gentle way to help a family remember a dearly loved grandfather.
-(Children's Literature)