BEST OF THE YEAR Chicago Public Library · School Library Journal · Five Books Carnegie Medal Finalist Once, in a tiny village in India, there was a young boy who loved to paint. He lived with his grandfather, who taught him to paint with his fingers, to make paints from marigolds and brushes made from jasmine flowers. Sometimes, the village children would watch them painting together, and the boy’s grandfather would invite them to join in.  They didn’t have much, but they had each other. After his grandfather dies, the boy notices a little box wrapped in string with a note that read: “From Dadaji, with love,” with his grandfather’s best paintbrush tucked away inside. But he feels he will never want to paint again. Will the boy overcome his grief and find joy in painting and his dadaji’s memory again? A lushly illustrated tale of love, art, and family. P R A I S E ★ “Extraordinary. This book stands out for the depth of its wise messages, and its gentle, evocative art.” — School Library Journal (starred) ★ “Perfect for an art class, a read-aloud session at a library or for sharing with a child who has recently lost a loved one.” — Shelf-Awareness (starred) “This story of familial love and the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren wraps readers in a tight hug… A gentle, reassuring reminder that love lives on long after death.” — Kirkus “A moving tribute to the role of mentors and memory in a young artist’s life, as well as to what “time and attention” can bring about.” — Publishers Weekly “Explores the pain of losing a grandparent and the quiet joy of coming to see the legacy the person has left.” —Wall Street Journal K-Gr 3-Some big ideas float effortlessly through these sweet watercolor pages: love between grandparent and child; acceptance of mistakes, loss, and change; life's small pleasures; and the life-enhancing gifts of sharing and teaching. Southwestern India, or the state of Goa, is suggested through hints of architecture and color-splashed flourishes of vegetation; the characters sit on the floor, using a vintage floor-desk. A boy and his devoted grandfather grow and give away mangoes and bananas, make paper boats for the village children, and read and paint together. No other family members are mentioned, and though the older man has promised never to leave, "One day, he did." The boy, perhaps ten, is bereft (here, gray-washed spreads prevail), and locks away all evidence of painting. But after some time has passed, a small girl asks him to teach her, and soon the house is again filled with children, colors, and happiness. The boy, readers understand, knows that his grandfather did not really break his promise. VERDICT An extraordinary work for every shelf; subtle and poetically less direct than other works in its treatment of death, this book stands out for the depth of its wise messages, and its gentle, evocative art.-Patricia Lothropα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “This story of familial love and the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren wraps readers in a tight hug… A gentle, reassuring reminder that love lives on long after death.” ―Kirkus Reviews [STAR] “An extraordinary work for every shelf; subtle and poetically less direct than other works in its treatment of death, this book stands out for the depth of its wise messages, and its gentle, evocative art.” ― School Library Journal (starred) “A moving tribute to the role of mentors and memory in a young artist’s life, as well as to what “time and attention” can bring about.” ―Publishers Weekly "“This book honors the complicated feelings of grief while offering hope and solace.” ― The Horn Book" “Explores the pain of losing a grandparent and the quiet joy of coming to see the legacy the person has left.”―Wall Street Journal [STAR] “Sirdeshpande and Mhasane pay homage to the intense love felt by grandparents and grandchildren and demonstrate the importance of art and passing skills from one generation to another. This heartfelt picture book is perfect for an art class, a read-aloud session at a library or for sharing with a child who has recently lost a loved one.” ―Shelf Awareness (starred) “Mhasane’s soft illustrations, which capture light and shadows in especially evocative ways, enhance the gentle themes of this exquisite story, but never do they veer into excessive sentimentality.”―Julie Danielson, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast "This is a masterpiece―a beautiful story of a sacred bond between a grandparent and a grandchild. It encapsulates so many things: adoration, passion, community, loss, and restoration. Children who do, as well as those who don’t, have special relationships with their own grandparents will be touched by Dadaji’s Paintbrush. Those experiencing grief will benefit from its positive and inspiring message as well." ―San Francisco Boo