DADAJI'S PAINTBRUSH

What endures after someone is gone?

A boy in a village in India loves to paint, just like Dadaji, his grandfather and constant companion. Dadaji dies, leaving the boy his best paintbrush, but the boy puts it aside—it hurts too much to even look at it. Months go by, and a young girl comes knocking, asking the boy to teach her to paint (“like your dadaji taught my mummy”), spilling color back into his life. As the children look at Dadaji’s paintings, they’re inspired—and the boy finally finds solace. This story of familial love and the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren wraps readers in a tight hug. Illustrations are in soft focus, almost like a flashback in a film, and Mhasane’s use of color, from spring-colored pastels to darker, gloomy grays, offers a key to the boy’s emotions as he deals with loss and finds healing. Though Dadaji’s death isn’t explicitly described in the text (the boy asks his grandfather never to leave him; a page turn reveals that “…one day, he did”), an image of Dadaji bent and frail offers a poignant explanation. Matching the tone of the artwork, Sirdeshpande’s words evoke a quiet, tender feeling. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A gentle, reassuring reminder that love lives on long after death.