Title: Picture Of Grace

Author: Josh Armstrong

Illustrator: Taylor Bills

Year: 2014/2015

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Picture Of Grace is an extremely well-written and moving story about love and loss. It’s a story about a young girl’s relationship with her grandfather. Grace visited her Grandpa Walt every weekend. Her favorite room was the art room, where Grandpa Walt did all his painting. She would sit in his lap while he painted and they would talk. Grace told him she wanted to be just like him when she grew up. Grandpa Walt said, “That’s very kind of you, but I can think of nothing better than you simply being yourself.” To Grace, time spent with her grandfather was perfect. Then one day, Grandpa Walt passes away, and Grace, bursting with grief, can’t bear to see her grandfather’s last painting unfinished, so she takes it upon herself to complete it. Will the painting be ruined, or will it be perfect?

The fantastic illustrations capture the mood of the story and the emotions of the characters quite nicely, being colorful in some spreads and more subdued in others. I highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one, child or adult. And even if you are not currently dealing with loss, the story is a touching reminder to cherish the people in our lives today and to treasure the memories of those we have lost. It makes me wish I had spent more time with my grandmothers years ago.