Quilly has not been the same since the death of his grandfather. His friends come to play and he cannot bring himself to join them. His grief shows. His porcupine quills become bristly and heavy. "Sideways grief, that's what you have," his friend Barby tells him. "It happens when your feelings try to find a way out even if you don't want them to."

The loss of a grandparent is a frequent happening for young children. This tender story helps young children understand the importance of remembering the good times rather than only the grief associated with the loss.

Includes supplementary information on children's concerns about death and grief, suggestions for adult/child interaction, discussion and story-related questions, additional helpful suggestions, 13 reproducible activity sheets, and ASCA standards.