Maybe you have already read Andy Becker’s satirical take on a real scandal that happened a while ago in Tacoma. His award-winning novel The Kissing Rabbi: Lust, Betrayal, and a Community Turned Inside Out won a First Place Blue Ribbon at the CIBA 2021 Mark Twain Book Awards for Humor. Or you have enjoyed his book Cracking an Egg, a humorous and heartfelt look at early childhood experiences growing up in the 1950s and 60s. I have to admit that I hugely like it to get autobiographical glimpses into people’s past – this book is just down my alley.
Yet, Andy Becker, who lives in Gig Harbor, by the way, is also known as a spiritual writer. And it is this kind of book that he only recently published with book events still waiting in the wings – you may want to check his website https://andybecker.life/ for dates. Grandy, Let’s Play! binds in with Andy’s first book, The Spiritual Gardener: Insights From the Jewish Tradition To Help Your Garden Grow (New York City Big Book Award in the Home and Garden category) and The Spiritual Forest: Timeless Jewish Wisdom for a Healthier Planet and a Richer Spiritual Life (finalist awards in the categories of Spirituality from the Next Generation Book Awards, in two categories, from the 17th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards, and from the Bestbookfest). After growing a garden and growing trees, this one is growing relationships with one’s grandchildren.
Grandy, Let’s Play! Reflections on the Joy, Blessings and Wonder of Grandparenting celebrates the profound blessings of grandparenting, offering a lens into life’s beauty and the bonds of family. Let me put it with the cover text: “Grandparenting opens us up to boundless love, humor, and inspiration—all while creating unforgettable moments of shared joy. The is a reminder of the magic that family relationships offer a true toast to life.”
Andy Becker starts with the basics of a family – parents – and where the term “Grandy” comes from and ends the first chapter (as he does with all the others) with insightful suggestions for mindful interaction between the generations. I couldn’t think of a chapter that he doesn’t touch on his way from a child’s babyhood to becoming a person very much with their own insights and demands. The value of play gets a place in the book as well as that of reading and learning about technology (the latter more for the grandparents to keep up with grandparenting); there are chapters about patience and anxiety, about furry friends, gardening, and also about aging. While Grandy, let’s Play! is a guide as to how to make the most of a grandparent- grandchild relationship, it’s not a theoretical instruction book. Andy and his wife, Donna, are grandparents themselves, and he shares a lot of fun anecdotes about his time with his grandchildren – so it’s as entertaining as a guide can get.
The book’s beautiful watercolor illustrations were created by artist Abigail Drapkin; so, it appeals to the mind and soul in more than one way. In other words, I can only quote a review that seems to get it right on so many levels: Do yourself a favor — get this book! Get two — one for each set of grandparents!
Grandy, Let’s Play! Reflections on the Joy, Blessings and Wonder of Grandparenting by Andy Becker is available anywhere books are sold (136 pages, full color, paperback, $ 19.95; ISBN-13: 978-1733669832).
Leave a Reply