Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am a HUGE fan of Jenny’s books. Not only are they funny but they always have emotion at the heart of the story, which inspires empathy within the reader.

When Frank receives money from his grandma that he didn’t know he had, things take an unexpected turn because it also comes with a Grandpa! There’s a strict set of instructions he needs to follow, but Frank wants to spend money on hot-air balloon rides and monster truck lessons. But beneath all of that, can Frank learn that there are some things money can’t buy? Can he learn how he can truly be happy?

I love how Frank’s relationship with Grandpa develops during their adventure. It shows children exactly where they can find happiness within themselves. Jenny’s writing is always so full of heart, and this book is no different! Funny books really help make important messages feel more relatable and accessible to children, which is really reflected within the writing.

To celebrate this BRILLIANT book being published (its my favourite of the three she has written!) I have a fantastic guest post from Jenny herself, all about happiness:

Happiness

Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List is a story about a boy trying to find ways to make his Grandpa happy, and in doing so, finds his own happiness through the relationship he builds with his grandpa. Children searching for happiness is a theme that runs through all three of my books. It is not something that I consciously set out to do, but it keeps appearing in my words.

As a mother and a teacher, children’s happiness has become very much essential for my own. In the Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, Freddie believes that finding his biological father will be the key to his happiness, but he discovers that he already has everything he needs to make him happy in the form of his step-dad and his friends. In the Incredible Record Smashers, Lucy desperately tries to find ways to make her mum happy. But in the end, Lucy realises that alongside her mum’s happiness, it is also her own that she has been searching for.

Whatever our goals are in life, I believe they all stem from our pursuit of happiness. Whether it be having a family, or success at work or in sports or in our creative endeavours, it all leads back to finding those moments of joy. Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk is claimed to be the happiest person inthe world. Now that is a title I would very much like to hold. I thought it would be interesting to hear what he says about happiness: “A simple rule is that what you focus on will grow. If you focus on everything that’s going wrong in your life, you’ll feel miserable. Focus on all the things you can be grateful for, and you’ll experience more joy and peace of mind.

By learning to focus on positive things every day, you’ll rewire your brain to focus on the good stu0.” This is definitely a lesson that Grandpa Frank learns and I think one that we all need reminding of. I hope I am able to take a step back from the busyness of life and take time to appreciate all that I have to be grateful for. In particular all the people I know who bring me so much happiness.

If you like the sound of this book, buy it here: https://amzn.to/3s1FO3S

Emily x

📚 Book gifted by publisher