Where's Grandpa?

Where’s Grandpa?

By Chloe Osborn

First published 2018 by Bath Spa University • Text © Chloe Osborn • Illustrations © Chloe Osborn • The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted • Printed in Bath • All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording without prior written permission from the publisher • www.bathspa.ac.uk

Where’s Grandpa?

By Chloe Osborn

Bobo remembered Grandpa. He had the spottiest tail, and the longest whiskers, and the fluffiest ears.

But then Grandpa had gone.

“Where has Grandpa gone?” Bobo asked his mother.

He’s in Heaven now. He’s in a better place,” she said.

Heaven? Where was that? Bobo thought.

If it’s a better place it must be the watering hole, Grandpa loved it there.

But Grandpa wasn’t at the watering hole.

“Hondo, where’s Grandpa?”

“He’s gone to Heaven. He won’t feel any pain there,” the hippo said with a yawn.

When Grandpa’s legs ached, he would rest under the shade of the big tree.

That must be Heaven, Bobo thought.

But Grandpa wasn’t at the big tree.

“Gamba, where has Grandpa gone?”

“Heaven,” the giraffe said. “Grandpa will be with his loved ones there.”

Grandpa loves us, thought Bobo. But he also loves Eshe the elephant. They liked to spend their evenings by the river.

But Grandpa wasn’t at the river with Eshe.

“Eshe, have you seen Grandpa?

“He’s in Heaven. He’s watching over you,” the elephant said.

Of course! Bobo thought. That’s where Heaven is. I just have to climb high enough to reach the sky!

So Bobo went to the tallest hill with the tallest tree. He climbed until he was on the highest branch and couldn’t go any further. But he still wasn’t any closer to the stars, and Grandpa was nowhere to be seen. Bobo gave up and went home.

“i’ve tried to find Heaven,” Bobo said to his mother. “It must be very far away because I can’t find it anywhere.”

“Oh, Bobo, Heaven is a place where you can’t go.”

“Grandpa’s really gone?” Bobo started to cry.

“No, dear. He’ll always be here in your heart.”

Bobo looked down at his chest. He remembered Grandpa with the spottiest tail. and the longest whiskers, and the fluffiest ears.

Grandpa was in Heaven, and Bobo couldn’t go there. But that was okay.

As long as he remembered Grandpa, he could never disappear.

Bobo the cheetah can’t find his Grandpa anywhere.

His mother tells him that he’s in Heaven. But where is Heaven? Bobo sets out on a journey to find it, going to every place he can think of and asking every one of his friends. They all say Grandpa is in Heaven, and tell him different things about it, but it is nowhere to be found and neither is Grandpa. Bobo must come to terms with his Grandpa’s passing, and learn that even if someone is gone, their memory will always live on.