Sun & Spoon

by Kevin Henkes

Book Overview

A heartbreaking story about learning to cope with loss from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Olive's Ocean.

When a person is gone, you need something to remember her by. It's been only two months since Spoon Gilmore's grandmother died, but already he's worried that he'll forget her. He needs something of Gran's, something that matters, something special.

But Spoon's little sister, Joanie, won't stop tagging along...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688152325
• ISBN13: 9780688152321
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Brings Back Memories

This book took me back. My first major loss was my grandmother, but it wasn't her obsessed with the sun. It was me. I constantly look for things with little smiley sun icons, or bright yellow sparkles, or anything that gives off that radiant vibe. In fact, one of the first items I made once I got back into sewing (sewing was something she had been teaching me when she passed) was a sun-inspired dress. I wasn't exactly the same as Spoon in the way that I chose to grieve but I felt his pain, and I understood a lot of the things he was struggling to say and express. The author did a great job capturing that. And I love, love, loooooooooooooooooooooooooooved the way it ended. It could not have been more perfect Four and a calf out of five cows. Definitely recommend

Lessons Learned

Kevin Henke did again. He made another one of his spectacular books. Sun and Spoon is a great book for children. It teaches kids honesty, friendship, and family. It talks about a boy who hardly knew a thing about his grandma. Then when he wanted to know a little about her it was to late, she had died. This taught me that I should spend time with older people in my family, especially my great aunt and uncle. That's why I go to their house every other week. This book had a big impact on me and it might do the same to you

Sun & Spoon

I thought this book was a very good book. Tha main character is Spoon Gilmore. If you like plays you will like this book. This book is broken up into parts. This is what the book is about. It was only two months since Spoon'sgrandmother died. He thought he would need something to remind him of her. Spoon's little sister Joanie won't stop tagging along and pestering him even when they go into their grandmother's house. I hope you read this book and like it as much as I did.

In Memory of Gram

Sun & Spoon presents how a young lad copes with the death of his grandmother. Henkes presents the story in such a touching way as Spoon searches for something tangible to remember his gram by. Not only does the story depict outward expressions of grief that Spoon deals with but also reveals his inner struggle of right and wrong. Spoon matures as the series of events unfold and learns a deep truth that a sorrow shared is, indeed, a sorrow halved. He and his grandfather both feel closer to gram as they play double soltaire with gram's deck of cards!

One of the most affecting, excellent books for young people!

I am a sap. I admit it. I get weepy when one of those touching television commercials comes on. Disney movies can get me too. Those are visual images, though. Books have never gotten to me in the same way. I sold books for six years and am now a Children's Librarian...so I read and have always read A LOT. Only two books have ever made me cry. This one made me weep. It is a thing of beauty. The prose is spare and poetic. The characters breathe from their first appearance. The story is so real, so well handled. I don't think anyone could read this short novel and come away unaffected. There is a wonderful network of symbols at work in this book...but you don't have to analize them in order to enjoy meeting Spoon and his family...to feel the depth of his relationship with both his grandparents...and glimpse with him the depth of his grandparent's relationship with each other. Excellent reading for any age reader!

This book is really really GREAT book

Sun and Spoon is a really good book for 7 to 19 year olds to enjoy alot. Sun and Spoon is a story, where their grandmother dies, and a boy named Spoon that's looking for something of hers to keep to remember her by. Sun and Spoon is about a sister and brother fighting but also how they make again. It's about stealing a deck of sun cards that belong to his grandmother. But giving them back after awhile. It's about lieing to his grandfather about the deck of cards. It's about collecting stuff after a nice stormy rain fall. Sun and Spoon is about giving people things to remeber somebody by. It's about helping famliy out and spening time with them evey day. So if you like to read books about family then you should get Sun and Spoon. It's a really, really good book to read, especialy at a young age.