Sally Morgan, illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft,
Dan’s Grandpa
Freemantle Arts Centre Press, 2007; originally printed 1996.
Ages 5-10
Right at the opening of this moving, sensitive story of a boy’s love for his grandfather, we learn that Dan’s Grandpa died six months earlier and Dan misses him terribly. The narrative looks back over the past before overtaking its starting point, and by the end of the book, Dan is finally able to emerge from the rawness of recent bereavement towards the comfort of knowing that, as his Grandpa persistently told him, “Don’t worry, Dan, don’t worry” – he would always be there to look after his grandson. The catalyst for this shift in his grief comes from a no-longer-hoped-for quarter, which adds to the story’s poignancy.
Readers follow Dan as he remembers all the special things he and his Grandpa did together, like fishing and dancing, and how Grandpa passed on his heritage to his beloved grandson: such as love and respect for the nature around them, and traditional stories and songs in their native Naml language. Bronwyn Bancroft’s bold illustrations come into their own here, evoking Dan’s aboriginal roots and his spiritual connection with his landscape. While they appear to be expansive in their scope, the illustrations also pinpoint details in the story, like the “lollies” Grandpa keeps hidden under his pillow at the hospital, to give to Dan when he visits. And young readers will make friends with Grandpa’s dog and cockatoo long before they make an appearance in the written narrative. Bancroft uses traditional aboriginal art to create a flow of energy that pulsates through the story and adds an emotional charge to Sally Morgan’s simple, dignified prose: whether its Grandpa telling stories about the stars, or Dan at school, in his mind already at the end of the day, running to the hospital to visit his sick grandfather.
Dan’s Grandpa is a beautiful, simple story which will resonate especially with young children who have lost a grandparent, or indeed any dear loved one. First published fifteen years ago, it is as fresh as ever today and looks set to become a timeless classic that will communicate on a contemporary level with its readers both now and in the future.
Marjorie Coughlan
May 2011