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Ten-year-old Spoon Gilmore is consumed with one worry--that he will forget his beloved, recently deceased grandmother. The solution, he decides, is to somehow find a memento, something that he can touch and hold close so that her memory will live forever. The trouble begins when Spoon steals the memento (his grandmother's special solitaire deck of cards) from his grandfather's house. At first the cards give him the reassurance he longed for. But soon after, Spoon's grandfather confides that he too was finding comfort in the deck of cards and is now suffering from insomnia, fretting over what could have happened to them. Kevin Henkes drives this story with unusual characters, such as Spoon's eccentric younger sister who carries suitcases full of twigs, and Spoon himself, a complicated boy grappling with guilt and loss. With the finesse of a polished novelist, Henkes also introduces an abundance of delicious metaphors--his parents' vegetable garden (their nurturing and grounded ways); his grandmother's sun collection (a constant life force); a deck of solitaire cards (the solo journey of grief), and on it goes. But most impressive is Henkes's compassion for the painful mistakes that children often make while trying to sort out the inevitably disturbing emotions and events of childhood. ( )

It had been only two months since Spoon Gilmore's grandmother died, but already he was worried that he would forget her. That's why he needed something of Gram's - something special that had belonged to her, something to remember her by. Kevin Henkes is keenly aware of how children think and react to their world, and does a good job of portraying a moving, honest portrayal of how kids and families grieve and heal.

A quiet story that could be easily spoiled if one reads it too fast or breaks it down to teach it. Savor the language, spend time with the main ideas about loss & memory, explore the minor themes about sibling relationships and love and other connections. Imagine yourself in Spoon's place, or in Pa's. Think about why Spoon's parents are given names, not just called Mom and Dad. It is lovely, and it will reward you more if you chew it thoroughly. ( )

Kevin Henkes is keenly aware of how children think and react to their world. Spoon is a male middle child with an adorable younger sister named Joanie. After their grandmother dies suddenly, Spoon and his family are left to deal with her loss. Henkes does a good job of portraying a moving, honest portrayal of how kids and families grieve and heal. ( )