the frank show + old stuff is new

The Frank Show by David Mackintosh (2012).

 

I love this book. I love it for its retro and architectural illustrations, its humor, and good old Grandpa Frank who is so persnickety and old-fashioned and endearing.

 

I read it aloud to my husband, who laughed the whole way through it.

 

Basically, this kid needs to do a show and tell presentation in which he talks about a family member to his class for a full minute.

Talking about Grandpa Frank for a full minute seems an impossible task because he’s always saying stuff like, “They don’t make ’em like that anymore.” Everyone else in class has a cool relative to talk about, but this kid’s just got Grandpa Frank whose arm hurts when it’s about to rain. Ugh.

“He doesn’t like noise,

or today’s music,

or gadgets and gizmos (or new things),

or haircuts, or weather, or doctors,

or any sort of ice cream that isn’t vanilla.

And today I have to talk about him for a

full minute.”

         But wouldn’t you know it? At the very last minute, Granda Frank surprises the kid. And the class. And it turns out he’s pretty cool.

 

This book is smart and wry and hilarious and I just dare you not to enjoy it immensely for even ONE FULL MINUTE

 

Thanks to David Mackintosh for the images!

 

+

 

Lots of stuff Grandpa Frank likes is cool again. In fact, his taste is de rigueur. So I give you stuff sold at Urban Outfitters that Grandpa Frank would probably dig. (Urban didn’t pay me to do this either lest you think it’s an ad.)

Mustache Wax. Because mustache. (There’s pomade for hair too.)

Portable record player. Because records.

Brass comb. For shirt pockets. (There’s still room for pens.)

Suspenders. Pants-holding up purposes.

Fedora. Obvs.

Cropped pants a la Albert Einstein. (I think I must get these for my dude.)

Finally, I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that Grandpa Frank would like these t-shirts. I mean shuttle lift-off and National Geographic? Right up his alley.

 

Hope you check outThe Frank Show if you haven’t already! It would make a great dad/grandad gift (as would everything in this post—bonus).