Sun & Spoon proves that Kevin Henkes is just as adept at writing for older readers as he is at creating award-winning picture books like Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Chrysanthemum, and the Caldecott Honor Book Owen. After his grandmother’s death, ten-year-old Spoon Gilmore longs for just the right memento to preserve her memory. His search–through keepsakes, family stories, and his journal about her–leads him into a new understanding of death, memory, and family, as well as a deeper relationship with his grandfather. One of the few novels about mourning written for middle-graders, this earnest novel will not only help students deal with loss but also give them new words and ways to express their feelings.