Dadaji’s Paintbrush

A boy lives with his beloved grandfather, Dadaji, in a “tiny village in India.” They do everything together, but mostly they paint, and their love for the medium draws other children in. Bespectacled, mustachioed Dadaji is an indelible character, exuding grace, wisdom, and a quiet energy; after he departs, the boy locks away all the art materials, including Dadaji’s finest paintbrush, and disconnects from the world. When a girl appears at his doorstep insisting on painting lessons, though, inspiration is rekindled. The boy reconnects with his talents, his love of painting, and, most importantly, the spirit of Dadaji. 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. An author’s note discusses the book’s beginnings. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)