The artist, animator, and Disney veteran’s heartwarming story of a gruff grandpa and a grumpy groundhog who compete for territory but find common ground is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org.
A new children’s book, “Grandpa Groundhog,” by Disney veteran, animator, and artist Kevin Geiger, has arrived just in time for Grandparents’ Day on September 10. Published by Yorkshire Publishing, the book tells the heartwarming story of a gruff grandpa and a grumpy groundhog who compete for territory but find common ground – literally and figuratively – through their shared love of a backyard garden.
Geiger was inspired to write “Grandpa Groundhog” after witnessing the unlikely relationship that formed between his dad and a large groundhog that took up residence in the backyard of his Ohio home.
“I remember Dad grumbling: ‘Look at that guy! He acts like he owns the place!’ And I imagined the groundhog having the exact same observation about my dad,” he shared. “Dad came to respect the squatter as a ‘fellow grandpa’ when he discovered signs of the groundhog’s family. Then, one day, the groundhogs were gone, and, ironically, Dad misses them.”
Geiger added that he often thinks about this story as he navigates love and loss with his young children. He hopes that the story’s powerful lessons about the true meaning of understanding, friendship, and compassion will resonate with young readers.
“‘Grandpa Groundhog’ is a moving tribute to the enduring power of love and the unbreakable bonds that connect us all,” Geiger notes. “I hope the theme are relatable to readers of all ages and that the discussion questions posed at the end of the book foster meaningful discussions between children, their parents, and their grandparents.”
Geiger, who has been telling stories since he was a kid, published his first children’s book, the award-winning “The Early Bird Gets the Worm,” in 2018, which was followed by “Bonny Bunny’s Baby Brother,” “O is for Ocean,” and “Ten.”
Check out the book trailer:
Geiger lives and works in Taipei with his wife and two daughters – find out more about Geiger on his website. You can also follow his blog, Reality Bites, published on AWN.com.
“Grandpa Groundhog” is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and wherever books are sold.
Source: Foreword Publicity
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
