Another absolutely wonderful book from Jenny. I love the way she combines humour with emotion. Alzheimer's and dementia can be an incredibly sad and difficult subject but Jenny's writing makes it accessible to younger readers. I loved the things young Frank thinks up to do with his estranged grandpa. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it.

A clerical error effectively leads to Frank inheriting a few hundred thousand pounds from a grandma he never knew he had, along with the responsibility for looking after an unknown grandad. While his parents try to sort out the problem, Frank sets about spending the money on a bucket list of things to do with Grandad, who lives in an old people’s home and is at times a reluctant participant in Frank’s schemes.
The adventures undertaken by this unlikely duo result in a novel full of warmth, generosity of spirit and laugh out loud humour. The characters, for all their eccentricity are likeable completely credible in their reactions to each other, due to the author’s great ear for dialogue and her strategy of presenting everything through Frank’s eyes, whilst allowing the reader to see the potential chaos that lies ahead. I love Jenny Pearson’s books and this will go down very well with readers in our school library.

Jenny Pearson never fails to write fast pace, hilarious children's stories and Grandpa Frank's Great Big Bucket list is just as brilliant as her previous books.

When Frank finds out he is to inherent a lot of money from his step-grandmother, who he never knew existed he sets off on an adventure that sees him meeting his Grandad and completing the bucket list of ideas in the title.

Hilarity ensues when they often find themselves in sticky situations.

I love that Jenny is not afraid to show the difficulty of adult relationships and how they are seen through a child's eyes.

I highly recommend this book.

Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List is another absolute corker: a wonderfully touching, laugh-out-loud, action-packed adventure with the enduring strength of family bonds at its heart.
11-year-old Frank Davenport has inherited almost half a million pounds by a step-grandmother who no-one in his family has told him about. Nor have they mentioned that he has a grandfather who lives less than half an hour away in Autumnal Leaves Residential Home. The money is left with the proviso that it be used to care for his namesake, Grandpa Frank. And, oh my goodness, does young Frank take that instruction seriously and enthusiastically. He is determined to track his grandpa down and look after him – whether he wants him to or not! And what better way to ensure that his grandpa has the best time ever than by creating his very own personalised Bucket List!
Of course, grumpy Grandpa Frank may not be quite as enthusiastic as his grandson about all the madcap adventures that have been planned for his enjoyment, but sometimes we just have to go with the flow and accept that others know the best ways to make our hearts happy!
And, I mean, what could possibly go wrong with taking an octogenarian hot-air ballooning, taking part in your first-ever dog show with a Newfoundland, swimming with ‘dolphins’, a parkour experience and monster-trucking. And, by that, I meant to say: what doesn’t go wrong?
The bucket list experiences that Frank arranges for his grandpa lead to oodles of hilarious moments that had me both giggling merrily and saying aloud ‘Oh no!’ as things don’t quite (understatement of the year!) go to plan. I’m not going to say any more than that but, whether you’re a chortler or a chuckler, guaranteed laughs are coming your way.
Young Frank Junior is THE most wonderful, kind-hearted, young boy who I absolutely adored. He finds it difficult to make friends as his family move around a lot due to his dad’s penchant for wheeler-dealing a la Delboy Trotter which necessitates the family running from trouble. Frank tells his story in such an honest, chatty, quick-witted manner that I found incredibly endearing. This is a real testament to the strength of the writing: I was completely drawn into Frank’s story and was completely invested in him and his family.
I adored the relationship between grandpa Frank and Frank Junior from their very first meeting when Frank finds himself eating bourbons off his grandpa’s belly (don’t ask!). Both Franks are lonely, searching for happiness and in need of a friend: they find each other, and the close bond that they develop is incredibly heart-warming.
This story deals with some difficult issues such as fractious family relationships, debt and memory loss in a sensitive manner which is a perfect opportunity to build empathy.
The illustrations are brilliantly lively, humorous and expressive and complement the story perfectly. My favourite has to be the ‘swimming-with-dolphins ‘experience – the expressions made me right giggle! And those chapter headings – brilliant!
This is an incredibly heartfelt story bursting with humour, warmth and that special je ne sais quoi that imbues all of Jenny’s gorgeous adventures. A special read that I cannot recommend highly enough.

Jenny Pearson has done it again with another perfect mix of laughs and heart-warming family drama.

Frank John Davenport is not too happy with life. His dad’s shady dealings have forced the family to move home yet again and when his mum is not trying to clean-up dad’s mistakes she is socialising down the tennis club. As for Frank, he is stuck in the middle of it all with no real mates.

But whilst life is busy handing you lemons it can also surprise you when you least expect it. For Frank, this comes in the form of a rather large sum of money from a grandma he didn’t even know existed. But the money comes with a catch…use it to care for the long-lost and rather grumpy Grandpa Frank. Taking his task very seriously and determined to give Grandpa Frank the best possible care, Frank sets about a bucket list to bring some happiness to his Grandpa’s life…

Jenny Pearson’s latest read is two wonderful rollercoasters, one of the adventure kind and one of the emotional kind. Starring a disjointed family, a whole heap of cash, a child’s wonderful imagination and a rather large family secret it is another perfectly written slice of family life told from the perspective of a very innocent, incredibly funny, highly preceptive and extremely creative eleven-year-old.

They say that life is for living and when you have a grandson like Frank he is certainly going to help you live your best life (whether you are a willing participant or not). And Frank junior’s best intentions, that yield the most surprising results, ensure a fun-filled and, unfortunately for Grandpa Frank, often action-packed read. Apart from the occasional sad bit, cue tear in eye, I pretty much read the whole thing with a smile on my face; Frank’s infectious enthusiasm and optimism, his determination to seize life and to ensure Grandpa lives every day to his fullest shines from every page. Even grumpy Grandpa eventually sees the brighter side of life, although who wouldn’t after hot-air ballooning, monster-truck driving and swimming with ‘dolphins’.

What I love so much about Pearson’s books is that she covers real issues that affect families with honesty and sensitivity. Yes, this is one heck of a funny book - the kind that makes your other half check if you’re ok as you’re laughing so much - but it is also incredibly poignant and heart-felt. Loneliness, family problems and dementia are all gently touched upon with honesty and sensitivity and are wrapped up in tender and light-hearted moments that provide umpteen laughs.

Ultimately for Frank and his now slightly bigger family love and forgiveness win the day and I find that reassuring and comforting. Like the wonderful characters, of which there are many, we sometimes all need to rediscover the true meaning of family, to acknowledge that money cannot buy happiness and to recognise that the best things in life really are free.

Children in years five and six should add it to their own list of books to read before they leave primary school.

With huge thanks to Usborne for the copy I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended for 9+.

Jenny Pearson has written another really special book. She has an amazing ability to make serious points through comedy. All the characters have something to teach us. Frank Junior is a brilliant narrator with the ability to cut through to the point. For example "I think forgiving dead people probably isn't as effective as forgiving live ones". Frank Junior has a distinctive voice - I had not come across the expression "balloon piddling" until I read this book, but it was perfect! As another reviewer has said, the book is a study in maleness through three generations - a topic seldom addressed in fiction aimed at this age group. I recommend the book to anyone from around age 8 through to 100.

observant, compassionate and hugely, hugely funny.

Here we meet Frank Davenport (Junior Junior) as he finds out he’s (seemingly mistakenly) been left nearly half a million pounds in his (previously unknown) step-grandma’s will, with the proviso that its used to look after the grandpa he didn’t know he had.

Frank embraces the challenge, and honestly his earnest enthusiasm for it is just a joy to read. Albeit a joy tinged with a bitter-sweet edge as we realise his motivation is, at least initially, highly driven by his own loneliness; Frank and his dodgy-dealing dad and long-suffering mum are always moving house as his dad lands them in money trouble again, so making and keeping friends has proved an impossible task for poor Frank.

And Frank’s not the only lonely one. His Grandpa is still grieving his partner Nora, resulting in a sense of apathy, gruffness and a rather grumpy old man. However, he goes along with Frank’s plans (much to the consternation of his mum and dad who are frantically trying to find a way to see the money transferred back to his dad…) and what begins is an absolute riot.

There’s hot air balloon rides with kidnapped OAPs, dog shows in a dog van that has to be seen read about to be believed and much bum-sniffing, swimming with…erm…Dolphins in spangled swimsuits, parkour lessons and monster-trucks…

It’s hilarious. As they begin each of Frank’s bucket list activities, there’s a sense of impending disaster which Jenny builds and builds superbly.

But as they move through their activities, we also see the developing relationship between them, which is just SO heart-warming, and gain a sense of the past hurt between Frank’s Dad and Grandpa who no longer speak.

And that’s what this book does so well and it’s why I really love Jenny Pearson’s books – while they’re full of slapstick silliness and comic caper ing, there’s a huge amount of heart underpinning it all.

From the effects of this family estrangement (both on themselves and Frank Jr Jr) to Frank’s dad’s shady goings on (which while kept light-hearted enough for the audience nevertheless ring true enough for children in similar positions to feel seen) to Frank’s loneliness to his Grandpa’s memory deterioration, forgetfulness and confusion, this, like all of Jenny’s novels pack an emotional punch to match their humour.

I love Jenny Pearson’s writing style – quick, clever and full of understanding and perception. I don’t read a lot of contemporary MG, neither do I read much funny MG, but Jenny has cemented herself in my list of absolute must-read-immediately MG authors. Her books are just brilliant and this is no exception.

Another superb adventure from Jenny Pearson. Frank is facing the long summer holidays with nothing to do and no one to do it with. Having just moved house he hasn’t had a chance to make friends yet and his dysfunctional parents are too wrapped up in their own lives to take much notice of him.

When a lawyer arrives on the doorstep with the news that Frank’s step grandmother has died, leaving him almost half a million pounds and the instructions to look after his grandfather, Frank throws himself wholeheartedly into the challenge. His grandfather, however, is not quite so keen on Frank’s bucket list, but as they work their way through each hair brained idea, they both find themselves living their best lives.

This is a gorgeous story about family and sticking together through thick and thin. Although the family members have their differences, they come to realise that their relationships are the most important things of all.

The author is superb at foreshadowing each disaster before it happens, resulting in lots of “oh no” moments. This would be an excellent book to read aloud to a class as there are many laugh out loud moments.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grandpa Franks Great Big Bucket List by Jenny Pearson
Published by Usborne Books

A huge sum of Inherited money, instructions to care for an OAP and the imagination of a long lost grandson are the best ingredients for a fun filled roller coaster of an adventure. However, it’s not just the epic adventures that young Frank is learning from. It is the impact of family time, secrets shared and how we treat one another that has the best and worst repercussions on the rest of his disjointed family…Another brilliantly written, humous and heart-felt story from Jenny Pearson, that will resonate with us all no matter what age we are.

Joanne Bardgett - Year 3 teacher, lover of children’s literature
#Grandpa’sGreatBigBucketList
#Jennypearson

Jenny Pearson has done it again! This is another hilarious and heartwarming book that you won’t want to put down.

When 11 year old Frank Davenport is unexpectedly left a substantial amount of money by a step-grandmother he didn’t even know had existed, he begins to think of all the wonderful things he can do with it, like buy a monkey or a Charlton season ticket. But it turns out the money comes with a catch - he must use it to look after his grandfather, who he also did not know existed. After googling ‘how to care for a really old person’, Frank comes up with an ingenious idea - the ultimate bucket list. What could go wrong?

I can’t wait to get this into the hands of my Year 5/6 readers - I am sure they will love it just as much as I did.

Eleven year old Frank, son of Frank, has just inherited £462,000 from a step-grandmother he never knew. Her will says that the money needs to be spent to look after Frank Senior Senior, the grandfather Frank has also never heard of.

So in the course of one conversation, our Frank has more money to spend than he ever imagined possible and a brand new grandpa. Frank comes up with an ingenious plan to spend the money in style while also getting to know his brand new relative.

“This is the story of our Bucket List and the things I’ve learned along the way. Like old people are actually quite buoyant when dunked in water and true happiness doesn’t come with a price tag.”

Although you may not think of hot air balloons as “wicker floating deathtraps” yet, you will after reading this book. There are some close encounters with ponds and you’ll gain new perspective on swimming with dolphins, as well as some other grandpa approved activities. There’s a bit of a Murphy’s law vibe to everything the youngest and eldest Frank attempt and that brings the humour I was expecting.

What I wasn’t expecting was to also feel so sad for most of the book. Kid Frank’s parents leave a lot to be desired; I wondered on a number of occasions if Matilda Wormwood was available to mete out her unique brand of justice. Grandpa Frank’s falling out with his son and its impacts made me want to cry. I also dreaded the end, not wanting to read what I suspected would happen. It wasn’t the light hearted, fun book I’d hoped for and because of that I almost stopped reading it several times.

I’m an outlier here. Most of the reviews I’ve read so far have given this book five stars and haven’t even mentioned the sadness I encountered hanging out with this dysfunctional family. I’d encourage you to read some of those before deciding if this is the book for you or not. Maybe I’m overthinking it but I wanted kid Frank to spend at least some of that money on some family therapy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Usborne Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

Imaginative, funny and silly! My 10 year old enjoyed this read about Frank and his Grandpa as they work through a bucket list that brings them on all sorts of adventures. Many thanks to Netgalley and Usborne Publishing for the ARC

I had to read this book as my Dad is a Grandpa Frank & it did not disappoint! I will be buying paper copies for various relatives who I’m sure will share my amusement.

My husband kept poking his head through to see what I was doing as I was chortling so much at what can be best described as ‘situational comedy.’ This is will be a perfect read from about age 8 upwards. I’ve been recommending it to various students all day, helped by the fact that we were talking about funny books in book club today. Jenny’s writing style is reminiscent of David Walliams but without any meanness (I’m still sulking about his portrayal of Librarians in The Blob)

The book is about a boy called Frank (Jr) who inherits £462,000 from a step-grandmother he didn’t know existed. His Dad, Frank (Sr) is estranged from the old man and therefore Frank has never met his Grandpa who lives a short way away in a Home. Frank’s parents are adamant that there has been a mistake and the money should go to them, but young Frank is determined to keep his inheritance and to take his late Grandma’s last wishes to “look after” her husband very seriously.

After meeting his Grandpa, who is clearly sad about his loss, and a quick Google about ‘how to look after an old person’ young Frank decides to create a Bucket List of fun things for his Grandpa to do before he dies. This is where the adventure begins and the two embark on increasingly unlikely activities (hot air ballooning, swimming with ‘dolphins’) with the proviso that Frank will buy his Grandpa a place in Spain at the end.

There is also plot happening around young Frank’s parents, his Dad has a reputation for ‘wheeling & dealing’ which leads to a monetary crisis.

This is definitely recommended, a great book to banish the Winter blues!

Amazing! SO many laughs and SO much heart.

Jenny Pearson has to be the master at writing children's books to make you laugh out loud, cry your eyes out, and generally change your outlook on life for the better.

Every year 6 class NEEDS her books: for Reading For Pleasure, and for mental wellbeing!

Jenny Pearson does it again! I adore her writing and her books are all a riot with wonderful messages hidden inside and this is no exception. It is the story of an unexpected relationship between Frank and his Grandpa and the times that they share. The way that Pearson merges that big issues with humour is amazing and a must for any classroom. My class thoroughly enjoyed her previous 2 books and will be ecstatic when I place this one on the shelves for them.

I’ve read both of Jenny Pearson’s previous books; The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates and The Incredible Record Smashers. She has an incredible knack of carefully combining tough themes with humour, yet she she’s absolutely knocked it out of the park once again.

Jenny’s latest book deals with family. No two families are the same and every family has their troubles. As well as touching on this, the story revolves around Frank and his newly found relationship with his Grandpa, also called Frank. Throughout the book there are nods to the fact that Frank (Senior Senior) is struggling with memory and this is cleverly played out by Jenny as Frank (Junior) comes to terms with this.

Throughout, this book is littered with lovely messages that should be a reminder to all about life and ways to approach it. For instance, Frank’s dad (Frank Senior) has repeatedly told Frank (Frank Junior) that Davenport’s never cry. And yet, as the story develops and Frank’s relationship with his Grandpa grows, Frank is told that it is okay not to be okay, and we, as the reader, are given a timely reminder about this too.

I put down this book at regular intervals, not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but to simply reflect on what I’d read. It made me think about the way I approach things in my life and it also made me think about the discussions that could be had in class. That is the sign of a well written book.

I absolutely love Jenny’s first book, The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates. It’s one of my favourite books to have in the classroom. If you’ve never read it, that needs to change. Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List joins that rank. I can’t wait till it’s released in February. It’s a lovely book and I am excited to share it with my class.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and to Usborne for the advanced copy.

I absolutely adored this book! Full of humour, empathy and encouraging how to choose the positive options! I loved the way it tackled situations that many children will find themselves facing. A joy to read and I will definitely be reading more books by Jenny Pearson.

Frank John Davenport is pretty fed up… His dad’s dodgy dealings have forced another move, and his mum is at her wits end trying to clean up the mess. Poor Frank is caught in the middle, but just as it seems that life is hopeless, Frank inherits a small fortune from a grandma he didn’t even know he had – BUT the money comes with very strict instructions to take special care of Frank’s grandpa. Seizing the opportunity to spend time with his grandpa, and with the promise of a handsome reward, Frank takes on the task of giving Grandpa Frank the time of his life, and creates a bucket list of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But what he forgets to consider, is whether Grandpa Frank actually wants to be looked after!
Jenny Pearson is the absolute queen of comedy with a heart and yet again she has delivered a story filled with rip-roaring laughter, but dotted with poignant moments and important life lessons. Even more so than her previous books, with Grandpa Frank those little life mottos and lessons are prominent in the chapter titles, explicitly giving the middle grade reader those little tips for navigating life’s tricky moments. I adored the relationship between Frank and his Grandpa – it reminded me of the film Up! Frank’s determination to give his Grandpa a good time is equalled only by his Grandpa’s determination to stay grumpy. Frank tries so hard to plan the most exciting experiences that he can think of, but forgets that a bucket list is usually written by the person themselves! Grandpa Frank may not have planned on hot air ballooning or monster trucking, but can old people learn new tricks? The results are hilarious, and I enjoyed each stop on the bucket list, with “swimming with The Dolphins” being my personal favourite!
I love that Jenny always shows that adults are often fallible in more than just a comedic, slapstick way. Even when they have the best of intentions, they’re never perfect, they all have their own vices weaknesses, and they often don’t follow the wise words they bestow upon children. Jenny perfectly illustrates the trials and tribulations of family life and reminds the young reader that no family is perfect. As always, I loved the twists and turns of the plot, and the side-splitting culmination right at the end. Jenny writes such brilliantly colourful characters, the residents of Autumnal Leaves in particular are just wonderful. Once again, Jenny has delivered an absolute triumph of both comedy and heart. Grandpa Frank is proof that you should really never underestimate old people!
If you’ve not read Jenny’s other titles, it’s WELL worth grabbing yourself a copy of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates and The Incredible Record Smashers – both also wonderfully written rip-roaring comedies which explore big issues with both humour and sensitivity. Both also have fantastic free teaching resources.

I have loved each of Jenny’s books so far and this book has not failed to live up to my expectations. It is funny, heartfelt, sad and hopeful all in one brilliant package that teaches us some valuable life lessons.

Frank takes his Grandpa on one crazy adventure to ensure that he lives his best life - in doing so he ensures the same for himself and the rest of his family.

Not afraid to look at the painful and tough parts of family life and growing old Jenny Pearson wraps it all up in moments so positive and funny that you can’t help but smile and laugh out loud.

This really is a touching book that builds empathy and understanding - a perfect to read aloud as well as on your own.

Definitely a book that needs to be on the shelves of all libraries and bedrooms.

This was such a joyous book, about family and relationships and joy.
Frank 'accidentally' inherits a large sum of money and uses it to help his Grandpa Frank tick off a bucket list. The only thing is that Frank hasn't actually met his Grandpa before.
They have a number of adventures, often not quite turning out the way they'd expected but turning out for the better and bringing lots of laughs along the way. I laughed out loud a number of times whilst reading. This would be a great book to read out loud to your children or in a classroom. Very funny but also very touching. A great read.