“Navigation system?”

From Duane Murray and Shawn Daley’s Better Place.

Eight-year-old Dylan and his grandad are constantly taking on fun adventures—and some slight mishaps—inspired by their favorite comic book heroes: Red Rocket and his faithful sidekick, Kid Cosmo. However, when their latest adventure lands them in big trouble, Dylan’s frazzled mom suggests that Grandad reconsider moving to Wise Oaks retirement home, a home that the brochure promises is a “better place to be.” Promising Dylan one last big adventure before he goes to the better place home, Grandad gives him a Red Rocket pocketknife, telling him it’s really a communicator. When Grandad goes for a late night drive to see Wise Oaks for himself, he is killed in a car accident. Unsure of how to break the terrible news to Dylan, his mom finally just tells him that Grandad has gone away to a better place. Mistakingly believing that his mom is talking about the retirement home, Dylan decides that he is going to sneak away to go be with Grandad instead of his overworked mother. So, Dylan dons his Kid Cosmo outfit, loads his swear jar money onto his wagon, and heads out to find Wise Oaks. Dylan’s journey is filled with some dangerous close calls, but when he finally makes it to Wise Oaks, he’s unable to find Grandad. A friendly old man named Lloyd offers to help Dylan find his grandfather, since he’s sure that’s where they sent his wife, as well. More danger and hijinks takes place, but Dylan is unable to find Grandad before his mom is able to find him and tell him what really happened to Grandad. The pain of knowing the truth is terrible, but if he’ll let it, learning to keep living might just be the biggest adventure of Dylan’s life.

This story is heartbreaking for a large portion of the book, but it also has enough heartwarming moments to captivated readers. The illustration style is very interesting, with only the imagination scenes presented in color to contrast the black and white coloring of the bulk of the story. A quick, but impactful read, Better Place is sure to leave a lasting impact on readers that have lost a loved one.