Dadaji's Paintbrush

Rashmi Sirdeshpande, Ruchi Mhasane(Illustrator)

Discover that bereavement can be a beginning, not an ending, in this beautiful story of one boy's grief when he loses his beloved grandfather.
Dadaji loves to teach others to paint, especially his grandson. But after Dadaji passes away, the boy can’t bear to use the favourite paintbrush his grandfather left for him. When a little girl knocks on the door, the boy discovers how many lives Dadaji touched with his art, and finds a way to continue his legacy.
The perfect book for children suffering a bereavement, with an uplifting and heartfelt focus on continuing a legacy for those who aren't around any more.
Winner of the Diverse Book Award for Best Picture Book 2023
A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year book and longlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration!

Reviews

"this touching picture-book story of love, loss and acceptance is illustrated with glowing tenderness and warmth"
Guardian

"Filled with heart, hope and the joy of creativity"
Serena Patel

"A moving portrayal of grief... Mhasane's clever illustrations reflect the boy's sadness, and how life and joy let the colour back in"
The Bookseller

"An extraordinary work for every shelf"
School Library Journal

"Via Sirdeshpande’s restrained but deeply empathic narrative voice and Mhasane’s digitally enhanced colored pencil and pastel pictures, which capture light in almost incandescent colors, this proves a moving tribute to the role of mentors and memory in a young artist’s life, as well as to what “time and attention” can bring about"
Publishers Weekly