Teens and their Grandfathers

Hi everyone, this week’s teen reads may number only two but they both made an impact on me. I was moved by these stories and the relationships the youngsters have with their grandfathers. It made me think of my own grandfather and the short time I spent with him. Why not press below to find out more…

This first one is a story about the special relationship that a teen boy has with this Swedish grandfather.

Donuts and other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck (Alfred A. Knopf; 2021) takes us into the life of Oscar Olsson and his grandfather. At first glance most look at Oscar and think: lost. He hates school, struggles to read, and wants nothing to do with college. But Oscar is anything but lost – he knows exactly what he wants and exactly how to get it. Oscar and Farfar, the Swedish grandfather who raised him, run a food truck together selling rullekebab, munker (donuts), and other Swedish delicacies. Oscar wants to finish school so he can focus on the food truck full-time. Mary Louise Messinger (Lou for short) is driven with valedictorian in her sights and Ivy League college aspirations. When Lou hijacks Oscar’s carefully crafted schedule of independent studies and blocks of time in the culinary lab, Oscar is roped into helping Lou complete her over-ambitious, resume-building service project – reducing food waste in Central Adams High school. With the finish line in sight, a relationship he never expected, a festival season about to begin (for good), the unthinkable happens, and Oscar’s future is not anything but certain.

My review: Equal parts hilarious and heart-wrenching, this YA high school story had me captivated until the end. Oscar’s voice is unique and insightful. I really loved all the food-related scenes, especially those inside their food truck, ‘Hej! Hej!’ His friends, Jorge and Jésus, sure do liven up the story. I truly loved his relationship that he has with his grandfather, Farfar. The backstory of Farfar’s relationship with Amir, and how Oscar came to him is expertly woven into the narrative, almost like it was always a part of their story. The tragedy at the end was something I totally didn’t envisage happening at all!! A truly great teen read, very realistic and heartwarming!

Quote I liked:

‘At some point, I realized, no matter how this turned out, I was going to have to start clearing a new path – hack away the brambles and take the next step.’ – Oscar

This next story has a historical timeline woven into a lyrical contemporary one.

The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery (Hot Key Books, 2020) will take you on a journey across the ocean to Japan where we meet young Mizuki who is worried about her grandfather. He is clearly troubled by something, something that is draining his life and laughter from him. Mizuki encourages him to reveal a secret that he has kept to himself for many years, of a promise that he made and was never able to keep. Moving from contemporary Japan to Hiroshima in August 1945, the day the nuclear bomb was so devastatingly dropped on the city, this unforgettable novel tells a tale of hope at its heart.

My review: Wow!! What a powerful read this was!! Written by Kerry Drewery, someone who was only exploring the tragic events that shaped one of our darkest times, it weaves a memorable story. Told in the voices of Mizuki – the granddaughter – in free verse and that of her grandfather, Ichiro Ado, in prose; we’re taken from 2018 Japan to the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, August 6th 1945. You can’t help being moved by the gentle way Mizuki and her grandfather connect with each other. Natsko Seki’s stunning visuals create another story, one with images, within the text and makes this a book I can forget in a hurry. Haunting, lyrical and powerful, this story will surely captivate anyone who reads it!! 

Verse I liked best:

‘Hope built on the sand 
is foolish. Hope built on rock
Is like sun to seeds.’ - Mizuki

If you have read anything similar, I’d love to hear from you.

Stay safe and keep reading

Miss Mahee