Update to the above story…
Before my son went to college, he first took a few classes at a tech school. Of all places, we were temporarily (for only one year) living in the same state where my father had lived, and the nearest tech school was the same system that my dad had once taught classes for! The connection to his grandpa continues to amaze us.
The story behind “Superhero” (the page “The Child Leaps”) is shown in the video below. This was my little guy when he was a toddler. Every year since, he wore a Superman costume- in bigger sizes as he grew (the illustration for Grandpa Smiles is inspired by how he played as he was older, tearing around the house and yard).
I can’t remember the day when he finally hung up his cape, and I’m glad I don’t. Growing up happens gradually, otherwise we’d drown in buckets of tears. But, I’ve seen evidence over the years of times when my son rose heroically out of nowhere, as if secretly there’s still an “S” hidden under his jacket.