Grandpa John

By Lori Stevens

My Grandpa’s name is Big John, and he really is big! His hands are big and strong, and I feel safe when he holds me. His shoulders are big too. I like to sit on them and pretend I’m a giant. Then I don’t feel so small.

When it’s windy, Grandpa makes kites and we fly them together. If mine breaks, he fixes it. He can fix anything.

In the wintertime I sit on Grandpa’s shoulders, and he walks all the way up a big hill. Then I slide all the way down on the sled that Grandpa made for me. It’s fun to go fast!

Grandpa lives on a farm in the country. When I stay there, I like to help him milk the cows and pick beans from the garden. Every morning we eat eggs that Grandma gets from the hens. She makes her own bread. In the evening I help her husk corn or snap beans.

Grandpa and Grandma have lots of animals on their farm. They even have a pet raccoon they found when it was a baby.

At night Grandpa tells me stories about himself when he was my age. Grandma makes hot chocolate and sings songs to me. They say they think I’m special. I think they’re special too!

In the summertime Grandpa takes me swimming and fishing and boating. Sometimes we catch fish and Grandma cooks them for dinner. When we ride in the rowboat, I help Grandpa row. When I get tired, he can row all by himself because he is so big.

I think Grandpa is the best friend I have in the whole world. I love him and he loves me. He says we’ll always be friends. I’m glad.

Illustrated by Spencer W. Barton, age 8