Product Description

It's been only two months since Spoon Gilmore's grandmother died, but already he's worried that he'll forget her. He needs to own something of Gran's, something special. But Spoon's little sister, Joanie, won't give him time alone to think, even when they go to their grandfather's house. What happens there will stay with readers long after they finish Sun & Spoon. Kevin Henkes's innate understanding of childhood illuminates his work with a rare glow. " Henkes offers another meticulously crafted, quietly engaging epiphany...Infused with the same good humor, wisdom, and respect for children's hearts and minds that characterize all his works." -- Kirkus Reviews, pointer review " Once again, Henkes captures young angst with respect and honesty....Images of supportive parents and love between generations shine through." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1740165 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .38" h x 5.06" w x 7.75" l, .25 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 144 pages

From Amazon.com
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. American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, Publishers Weekly Best Book, School Library Journal Best Book. (Ages 9 to 12) --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly
"Ten-year-old Spoon Gilmore's grandmother has just died, but her presence is strongly felt throughout this exceptionally moving novel about grief and rejuvenation," said PW in a boxed review. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-Kevin Henkes' moving story of adjusting to loss (Greenwillow, 1997) is beautifully narrated by Blair Brown. Spoon's grandmother's sudden death has hit him hard. Wanting something to remember her by but not wanting to talk about his feelings, he takes Gram's playing cards decorated with pictures of the sun without asking. When he learns that his grandfather is hunting high and low for those cards, Spoon replaces them and finally admits his deed. Henkes creates an original yet convincing fictional family from Spoon's teacher parents who spend all summer working in their garden, to his lovable younger sister Joanie who insists on carrying around a suitcase filled with "bones" (sticks). Brown has a pleasant voice and interprets the characters well, reading with expression and sensitivity. The word-for-word narration is well-paced and well-recorded. Appropriate for individual or group listening, it will be well-received in both school and public libraries.
Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.