I really understand how the character in this book feel, how it feels to miss someone who has left... so I feel very sad when I read it 😢

If there was ever a picture book, meant to rip your heart out and stomp on it, it’s this one. But it is done in such a beautiful and loving way that this will be a very heavy contender for top book of the year and its only January. A little girl sees an old man eating alone every single day on her walk to school and one day he’s not there. When he returns on the third day, she hast to go talk to him. Why wasn’t he there? Where did he go? What happened.? Turns out it was the man’s anniversary and he explained to the young lady that he’s not truly alone. He’s sitting with the memories of his wife, and if you have memories of other people, you’re never alone. But less than his home at the end, when the man once again, doesn’t show up because he will no longer show up. But he leaves a note for the little girl to remind her that she is never truly alone. Like I said, stomp on my heart, make me cry in the best most loving possible way

This is a beautiful book that had me teary twice during my read. It's a great reminder that even though we've lost someone, they stay alive through our memories.
Some reviews I've read were confused about why the little girl was staring at the old man, and he didn't seem bothered by it, but as a mom of a little girl I can tell you they are very curious, and it's a gift when someone isn't offended by that and embraces them like the old man did.
The illustrations were pretty and the text was simple enough that it should be an easy read, giving you space to explore the very difficult topic of loss.

This is such a beautiful, yet profoundly sad, yet sad in a beautiful way book. The ending is heartbreaking, yet beautiful at the same time. The super beautiful drawings also add mood to this book.
The story is ordinary, yet unique at the same time. Ordinary, as this is what life is, this is what happens out there. Unique, as this is not usually portrayed in such fine detail in kids' books.
A story of human connection, a story of love and loss, a story of an unexpected and short friendship – I cannot recommend this book loud enough to those who are looking in kids’ books for more than just a cute story and who want more depth, and who are ready to talk with their kids for seemingly uncomfortable life facts that are usually kept away from kids.

This book was too creepy for a children's book. The drawings literally made my skin crawl at times.
Not to mention, it makes absolute no sense. It's meant to tackle greif but I think it just made it worse.
The little girl basically stalked the old man. And the old man developed very weird feelings towards her, or at least that's what I felt with his final letter to the girl.
Also, the font was too tiny and not visible amid all the colour clash.
Overall, this book left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

The Old Man Eating Alone envelopes the idea of memories immortalizing and the reality that we are never truly alone.
I'm not sure I would regularly advocate for my young child to skip school to go into a diner and talk with a stranger but that aside, it is a sweet story.
Mr. Wilson is brought to life as a kind soul and while the story is short, it packs an emotional punch showing both humanity and lived experiences in all their glory.
I would preface reading it with younger children with the understanding that further questions about death and dying will transpire. The book recommends ages 5 and up but use your discretion, knowledge of your child(drens) development, and your comfort in discussing death before diving in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for a review.

A young girl learns the value of memories when dealing with the loss of friends. When she notices an old man eating alone every day in a restaurant, she talks to him and discovers he is reliving cherished memories of his late wife.They visit many times over the next few weeks. One day he is no longer sitting in the restaurant, so she goes into the restaurant and is given a letter from the old man. The letter tells her how much his conversations with her meant to him. She has memories to keep and hold now.

The somber tone of the text is a match for the subdued palette of the book's illustrations. This is a good book to explain how to deal with loss.

Beautifully illustrated story with important lessons in friendship, love, life / death. I will buy myself a print copy for the beautiful illustrations.

4.5 Stars
The book is about a little girl, Emily, who sees an old man sitting alone at a café and eating breakfastdaily. One day after he disappears and reappears, she decides to talk to him to express her concern. How the duo becomes friends and what happens next form the story.
I don’t know if this is the right or wrong time to read the book. The old man on the cover picture resembled a grandpa I lost very recently. A part of me wanted comfort from this book. It did help some, though it also brought a fresh round of grief. At least I have grandma to talk to now.
The illustrations are perfect for the book’s theme. The cloudy and rainy background mellows the setting and hints at what’s to come. The little girl’s features are spot-on. The detailing is just as beautiful, especially the butterflies in soft off-white. The text is too small, though.
I wish I could write more, but I’m feeling too emotional at this point. To summarize, The Old Man Eating Alone is a touching story about loss, grief, coping with the death of loved ones, and staying hopeful.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The premise of the story is very strange. A girl snooping on a stranger and asking him invasie questions. I guess I'm glad the author at leasted handled that in the story by basically saying "Yeah, that's strange but we'll move on." If a child came up to me and asked me "where were you yesterday? You weren't here" without prompt, you bet I'm gonna talk to their parents. Maybe we shouldn't only try to teach children that people will exist in your memories and will be by your side even if they died, and maybe we should also teach children to not be rude and invasive to strangers, okay?

To the point of the book though, it's fine. The point gets across, even if I'm annoyed with the premise. Is this book good for children? Honestly, I don't know. But it's honest and won't shy away from saying "died" so that's at least a point, I guess.

OMG THAT WAS SO SAD:((( very beautiful story, delivered efficiently to make me emotional even with just a few pages. I love it

This one was so sad, but also very lovely to read. It's a wonderful showcase of the importance of being kind to one another.

Thanks to NetGalley and Clovis Publishing for providing me with an ARC of “The Old Man Eating Alone.” This is a beautifully illustrated book with an even more beautiful lesson for children.

This read-to-me book is about a little girl named Emily who learns that people are never truly alone, even when people die. Pearlstein and the illustrator, Groven, did a fantastic job of conveying an important message to children—that even when people pass on, they are still with us, living in our memories.

This book would be a perfect gift for children to help them deal with not only loss and grief, but also learning to cope with the loneliness that comes from death.

This book is... odd. The story centers around a little girl who watches an old man eat by himself and it makes her sad. There's a lot of just saying that she's sad about the old man by herself. At one point, he's. not there and she believes he has died. Then she meets the old man and he tells her about his wife, who died. *SPOILER* And then he dies. I just felt like the age for which this was seemed to be intended for does not align with the way the content was presented.

This picture book is about loss and understanding it.
Visually this picture book absolutely steals the show. The spreads are fully in balance colourwise and give a clear picture of the characters. The angle is not always on a straight horizontal line and that gives an original view.
The story itself is simple and predictable, but also sweet and easy to understanding. If it is fully relatieve, that is the question because girls talking to strange old men and becoming friends… is maybe something that Will not happen often. .The text is easy to read, but maybe as a story to be read to children a bit unexciting.
Beautifully drawn short story about a girl meeting an older man and dealing with loss..

If you care about someone you can have some times when you sit quietly and remember all the good times you had with them.
The illustrations by Hilde Groven are simple, colorful, and meaningful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Clavis Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
Clavis Publishing supports the First Amendment and celebrates the Right to read.

The Old Man Eating Alone by Howard Pearlstein - 4/5

This is a beautiful and heartwarming story about friendships, memories and kindness. The story follows along with a little girl who is watching an old man eating alone at a cafe and she decides to sit with him.

This was a cute story to read, and I loved the way both characters were represented, an old, aged man who has had a long life and a child who still has their entire life ahead of them. I love the illustrations of the Old Man and little girl. You can see their feelings in their expressions, and it truly puts a smile on your face.

This was such a cute and bittersweet story. The story starts with a little girl watching an old man eating alone at the café. She is curious and sad for him.

The story perfectly reflects the stark contrast between the two extreme phases of life- old age and childhood. How one is full of possibilities and excitement, while the other is full of a story already lived and the satisfaction and loneliness that comes with it.

It was a sweet and lovely story but it was also really deep when you look at it.

The art is really pretty and gives an innocent vibe, perfect for children. Though it is meant for children, I'd recommend everyone read this story.

I recently read The Old Man Eating Alone by Howard Pearlstein and was thoroughly impressed by the beautiful illustrations and engaging storyline. The book is perfect for young children, with simple yet powerful messages about the importance of community and human connection. The old man's journey is both relatable and inspiring, and the vibrant illustrations bring the story to life. I would highly recommend this charming picture book to parents and caregivers looking for a heartwarming and meaningful read for their little ones.

Thank you so much for Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.
This book had such a cute story also heartwarming and the illustration is attractive