Families who loved Grandpa Frank's Great Big Bucket List by Jenny Pearson often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is struggling to build a relationship with a difficult or distant relative, or when the family is navigating the complex emotions of financial stress and unexpected inheritance. It is a perfect choice for kids who use humor as a shield or who feel a deep sense of responsibility for their parents' happiness. The story follows Frank, a boy who discovers a grandfather he never knew he had, only to find the man is grumpy, lonely, and stuck in his ways. While the premise involves a large sum of money and a wild bucket list, the heart of the book is about empathy and the realization that adults are flawed people with their own histories of hurt. It balances laugh-out-loud slapstick comedy with tender moments of reflection on aging and forgiveness. Parents will appreciate how it tackles heavy themes like elder loneliness and family rifts with a lightness that remains accessible for the middle-grade reader, making it an excellent bridge for discussing how to love people who are hard to like.
