Saturdays with Gramps

by Marissa Bader, Ellie Beykzadeh (Illustrator), Renee Hayes (Editor)

Overview

A warm hug of a book for any child who's missing someone they love.

Saturdays were Sam's favorite -- Grampscakes dripping with syrup, lively chess matches, quiet moments spent birdwatching. Just Sam and Gramps, soaking up their special day.

But when Gramps passes away, Sam is heartbroken, and Saturdays feel empty.

With his mom's gentle guidance, Sam begins to understand a powerful truth: even though Gramps is gone, the love they shared -- and their cherished Saturday traditions -- will always remain. Because, like syrup on pancakes, love sticks around.

Saturdays with Gramps is a tender, heartfelt children's picture book about grief, written to help kids process loss with warmth, comfort, and hope. Through gentle storytelling and beautiful illustrations, it reminds readers that the bonds we build with those we love remain long after they're gone. Ideal for ages 7+.

• Introduces loss in an age-appropriate, relatable way
• Encourages open conversations about big feelings
• Validates kids' emotions and experiences
• Offers healthy, hopeful coping strategies
• Serves as a helpful resource for parents, educators, and therapists navigating conversations about death and bereavement

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798985768190
Publisher:	M. Bader Media, LLC
Publication date:	08/05/2025
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Marissa Bader is a Minneapolis-based children's book author and writer with a background in mental health. She's the author of The Only Me, Stella's Brave Voice, Petunia the Perfectionist, and Saturdays with Gramps-heartfelt stories inspired by her three daughters that nurture confidence, courage, and emotional growth. Marissa also writes about parenting and mental health, with work featured in Psychology Today, HuffPost Parents, Lucie's List, and more. When she's not writing, she's likely drinking coffee, dancing in the kitchen with her family, or dreaming up her next story. Learn more, explore free resources, or invite her for an author visit at MarissaBader.com, and follow along @MarissaBaderWriter.

Editorial Reviews

2025-08-06
A child deals with the loss of his grandfather in this picture book from Bader.

Nine-year-old Sam loves to spend his Saturdays with Gramps: And who wouldn’t, when Gramps greets you with a stack of big, fluffy pancakes to start the day? Sam and Gramps engage in fun activities together, like playing chess, gardening, eating turkey sandwiches, and birdwatching. Yet as the weeks pass, Sam notices Gramps becoming increasingly tired and unable to keep up. One Saturday, Sam’s mom comes into his room with bad news. “When people reach the end of their lives, their bodies start to slow down—like when your toys run out of batteries.” Sadly, Gramps has died, which devastates Sam, and he now must find a way to both honor his relative’s memory and work through his own grief. With his mom’s help, he learns how to remember his love for Gramps and keep it alive. Bader’s fourth picture book, followingPetunia the Perfectionist (2024), this simple narrative should be an effective guide for young readers experiencing a death in their own family. Through Sam’s perspective, the author outlines clear steps for coping with loss: like keeping up old habits and understanding complicated emotions. Beykzadeh’s illustrations confusingly make Sam look younger than 9 but do include a thoughtful cardinal that first appears when Sam and Gramps birdwatch and follows Sam into his mourning period.

An educational but accessible picture book about how to cope with grief as a child.

Kirkus Reviews