In this sensory-rich picture book, a little girl and her grandparents make the family’s traditional spaghetti and meatballs recipe together—and hope to jog Grandpa’s fading memory.

For Felicia, the days spent making meatballs for Grandpa are some of the best ever! Grandpa no longer remembers much, but he loves to help cook. Grandma and Felicia know just what to do so that they’ll get the perfect sizzle, tang, and magic in their mouths. But Felicia also knows that cooking together makes more than a meal—sometimes it even helps Grandpa remember. Together they get their hands dirty and make the savory meal of spaghetti and meatballs in the family’s Italian tradition. And then, they mangia!

Woven with vibrant sounds, smells, and flavors, this is a heartwarming story about food, family, and heritage. A glossary of Italian words and a recipe for tomato sauce and meatballs is included.

About the Author

Jeanette Fazzari Jones grew up on the Jersey Shore, often making spaghetti and meatballs with her family. Today she’s an educator whose inability to sit still often finds her baking, gardening, or playing board games with her husband and kids. Meatballs for Grandpa is her debut picture book. She now lives in Kentucky with her family. Follow her on Twitter @TheFeltTipPen.

About the Illustrator

Jaclyn Sinquett grew up playing in her dad’s garden, feeding worms to box turtles, and tossing french fries to seagulls at the Jersey Shore. She is the illustrator of multiple picture books, including her recent titles Loud Mouse, written by Idina Menzel and Cara Mentzel, and How to Get Your Octopus to School, written by Becky Scharnhorst. She lives in Brick, New Jersey. Learn more about her at www.jaclynsinquett.com, and follow her on Instagram @JSinquett.