Looking Up

Looking Up by Sally Murphy is a moving story about family, forgiveness and the stars. Pete lives with his Mum. His dad lives far away and, as far as Pete knows, that's all the family he has. Until one day, just before Pete turns ten, a birthday card arrives in the mail with stars on the front and signed 'Love, Grandad'. Mum reveals the card is from her own father, but when she won't give Pete more information he decides to locate this mysterious Grandad for himself. Pete and his best friend Tyler use the phone book to find Grandad and even visit his home. When Grandad insists they need Mum's okay to meet, Pete spills all to Mum. Lying on the trampoline and looking up at the stars together, Mum tells Pete how she and Grandad haven't talked since she was seventeen. Her mother had died in a car accident and in their grief they each blamed the other for it, though it really wasn't the fault of either of them. Mum agrees to let Pete meet Grandad. On his tenth birthday, Pete visits Grandad and is thrilled to discover they share a passion for the night sky. In fact, Grandad used to be an astronomer and has an incredible telescope. Finally, Mum joins Pete and Grandad on the back deck to watch the stars all together.