Description: BUTTERFLIES, GRANDPA & ME is a simple story about the unexpected death of a grandfather. Written from a child's point of view, twenty-five pages of text & coloring book pictures follow the main character, Richie, from the first time he learns of grandpa's fatal heart attack through the funeral & into the first week afterward. Shock & numbness, fear, anger, loss of appetite & loneliness are among the many feelings Richie expresses. In search of answers he runs to the creek where the realities of life & death were gently taught by his loving grandfather. Richie's experience includes going to the funeral home, seeing his grandfather's body & asking questions such as, "Where are his feet?", "What are the flowers for...'", & "...is he dead or is he just sleeping?" He spends some time with one of grandpa's older friends, attends the funeral & burial & is surprised to find how hungry he is by the end of the day. In the week that follows, as Richie experiences some of the emptiness of his grandfather's absence he also discovers that doing some of the old things in new ways can bring unexpected pleasure & hope.

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