Alice keeps a perfectly round skipping stone in her pocket to remember her grandfather by — but the stone goes missing.

It looked just like a regular stone, but Alice knew it was different: It was perfectly round so you could use it to trace circles, and sometimes she could trick her dad into thinking it was a quarter. It was also how Alice remembered her grandpa, who taught her how to skip stones, and who passed away last winter.

Alice brings the stone to school for Show and Share, but when her classmate asks to see it again at recess, Alice discovers that the stone is gone! Her friends search high and low and can’t find the stone—but their friendship gives Alice an idea of another way that she can remember.

A gentle look at loss, grief, and how small everyday actions can connect us to those we love.

Key Text Features

Illustrations

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3

With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

CAREY SOOKOCHEFF is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series, Sprout, Seed, Sprout! and What Happens Next. She is also the author/illustrator of Solutions for Cold Feet and Other Little Problems and Wet. She loves all kinds of stories, except for scary ones. She lives in Toronto with her family and their dog Rosie.

Carey Sookocheff's profile page

A quiet, hopeful story.

Publishers Weekly

Illustrated with muted colors in blues, greens, and grays, listeners will be able to understand the message that it's the little things that help connect us to family and friends.

School Library Connection

This is a touching story about remembering those we have loved and lost. … Carey Sookocheff's latest picture book reminds us of the opportunities that await us on the other side of sadness.

Canadian Children's Book News

A quiet story about a child’s personal journey through grief.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Sookocheff's calming story offers a powerful reminder about what we carry when we miss someone.

New York Times

Childhood grief is handled gently here and human connections are celebrated.

School Library Journal

A gentle picture book for early readers.

Winnipeg Free Press

Sweet support during loss.

Kirkus Reviews