Grumpy Mr. Grady is a friendly hardback book by a homeschool dad that will bring a smile to your face. Faced with a new homeschooling family as neighbors, Mr. Grady is less than excited. "I see you have kids," he sneers as he meets them. The enthusiastic father responds with "I have four of them!" Obviously Mr. Grady has preconceived notions about homeschooled children, but the family sets out to prove him wrong by living to the glory of God and being servants in their neighborhood.

When winter comes on and Mr. Grady is snowed in, they dig him out without being asked and he invites them in for hot cocoa. They learn he is a veteran and how he served in the "big war." They also learn he received the Purple Heart and he becomes "...the bravest man [the children have] ever met." Mr. Grady even offers to allow one of the children to come over and learn about the war from his perspective.

It is a sweet picture book about serving and learning from one another. The children learn that he isn't really grumpy and he learns the children are not a bother. It is illustrated in cartoon-like fashion with a water-color look.

I really appreciated the respect shown to veterans in the and the book ends with an appropriate scripture:

"You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:32

That is certainly a beautiful passage and one of the positive messages of the book. This would make a very nice addition to your homeschool library.

-Product review by: Kate Kessler, Product Reviews Manager, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2007