But when Grandad finally arrives, he just sits on the porch in a rocking chair, staring out at the river. He isn't even hungry for pancakes. David's mom tells him Grandad just misses his cows. David wants Grandad to stop missing his cows and to enjoy living on the island as much as David does. He doesn't want to hear that Grandad doesn't feel at home.

In this poignant story of a boy's relationship with his grandfather, Martha Bennett Stiles and Daniel San Soui have captured the urgency of a child's desire to be accepted by, and to give in return to, someone he loves.