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Parents' Guide to

The War With Grandpa

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

War of wills tests a family in this funny classic.

Book Robert Kimmel Smith Family Life 1984
The War With Grandpa Poster Image

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What's the Story?

In THE WAR WITH GRANDPA, Pete learns from his parents that his room, his place in the world, is about to be handed over to his grandpa. Grandpa, who's mourning the loss of Pete's grandma, is moving from Florida to Pete's family home in New York. But since he walks with a limp, he can't easily make it to the third floor where there's a spare room. Instead, he's given Pete's room, and that's all there is to it. Pete is beyond upset. He takes his grievance to his friends Steve and Billy, who advise him to fight back. And so Pete decides to go to war with his grandpa, essentially trying to wear him down so that he'll give up and move out of Pete's room. But Grandpa isn't going to go down without a fight. His pranks are just as "devilish" as Pete's. Pete is going to have to learn the difference between protest and being hurtful, and Grandpa needs to take a look at his emotional responsibilities as the battle comes to a peak.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Written in the quirky voice of a spunky kid, this story pushes boundaries of respect between generations. The War with Grandpa has tender moments of bonding, such as when Pete's grandpa takes him flounder fishing on a boat on the Long Island Sound. But it also has peaks of confrontation, like when Pete's grandpa slaps 10-year-old Pete across the face for being stubborn. That slap comes as a shock to Pete, and it shifts the tone in the book to one where a kid might get hurt if he talks back to adults. There's also talk about "psychological warfare," whereby Grandpa makes Pete extremely nervous because Pete doesn't know what to expect Grandpa to do.

Pete's sense of loyalty to his room is a great plot device that kids will relate to. As he says, "This room is MINE. Nobody else in my family ever lived in it." He knows the sounds, the shadows at night, and he knows it's his. When Grandpa intrudes, it feels like a personal insult. Kids will also like the real quality of Pete's voice (he and his friends used made up words like "furzy" instead of cussing), and they will enjoy the fact that the book is written by Pete for an English class. It's a fun read, but there are missed opportunities for richer subplot and more fleshed-out characters.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about peer pressure in The War With Grandpa. How much influence do Pete's friends have over his home life? How much do your friends have over yours?

  • Pete's family play games and sometimes watch TV together. There's no such thing as screen time. How do you like to spend your time when you're not using a device?

  • Did you see the movie version of The War with Grandpa? If so, how does the book compare? If not, would you like to see it now?

Book Details

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