Grandma’s Window by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Christy Tortland. Brandylane Publishers, Inc. Richmond, VA. 2023

“Mateo sat alone on the way to his new school. Everyone on Bus 22 seemed to have a friend and he felt left out.”

Grandma’s Window depicts what it feels like to be all alone at a new school. Especially when riding the bus without a friend to sit with, this feeling can be overwhelming. But one day, what if you saw something unusual out your window? A hand, maybe, waving?

This is the premise of Grandma’s Window. One day, as the bus goes by a purple building, Mateo spots a woman, a “grandma,” waving from a window.  He shouts to the kids on the bus to wave back and they do. Ultimately, because of this, Mateo makes a friend who sits with him on the bus and at lunch. Every day, going to and from school, the kids wave to the “grandma” in the window. Then, one day, she’s not there. And the next, and the next. The kids worry, and the bus driver finds out the woman is now living in a nursing home. When they visit and find out Grandma is having trouble making friends, Mateo comes up with an idea to help her.

Based on a true story of kids and their special “waving grandma” who waved to them for five years, the story ends happily with the kids finding a new way to not only visit Grandma but help her make friends too.

The illustrations by Christy Tortland of a diverse group of children have muted, natural colors with many different skin tones. This is a sweet story of a child who “pays forward” a kindness shown to him.