Grandpa's Clock
by Rachna Gilmore
illustrated by Amy Meissner
View Excerpt
- Commended, CCBC Our Choice
"Slow and steady," that's how you make a grandfather clock.
Grandpa should know. He and Cayley have made nineteen clocks together. Now they are making Cayley's very own, a Lord Nelson. Then, one night, Cayley awakes to the sound of a siren. Grandpa is gone. Cayley is scared by what she sees when she is allowed to visit him in the hospital. But scared or not, she knows what Grandpa needs, and she tells him, "Slow and steady" as he heals. The Lord Nelson clock waits, patiently, to be finished.
Teachers guide available here.
close this panelGrandpa’s saw sings me awake. I tumble out of bed and hurry downstairs, rubbing sleep from my eyes.
Grandpa’s white hair glistens as he bends over the table-saw, feeding in an oakboard. He turns the saw off and pushes the safety goggles onto his forehead.
“You started without me,” I wail.
“Calm your nerves, Cayley,” Grandpa chuckles. “Your clock won’t be done in a day.”
I grin. Mine. This one’s all mine. When Grandpa finished the grandfather clock for Josie’s wedding, he said it was my turn.
"The ticking of a clock, the ticking of a heart. Rachna Gilmore's new story is a richly textured tale of family relationships."
"Warm, detailed art and text."
"gives hope and illuminates the value of intergenerational relationships [a] well-crafted story [that] would strengthen any collection."
4**** out of 4
"Warm and endearing. Highly recommended."
