This is a Christian adoption blog so we’re safe to mention the word “Christmas” here. I figure, if Wal-Mart can say it, so can I! Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.

Whew, I feel much better now.

I realize some of you zealous folks have had your Christmas shopping done for months, but if you’re like me, you’re just beginning to think about gifts. I discovered the perfect gift for the young girl or grandparent on your list: Penny Love, by Lisa Soares Hale.

Rarely have I encountered a children’s book that makes me tear up every time I read it. But Penny Love never fails to elicit moist eyes.

This sweet little book, geared for children ages 2-9, is about a young girl’s relationship with her grandma. As the story opens, we’re introduced to toddler and her grandmother who are strolling through a park together.




They spot a “warm, brown penny” shining in the sun. Grandma encourages her granddaughter to pick up the penny, explaining, “Whenever you find a penny, you will know that Grandma loves you.”

Later that day, Grandma gives her granddaughter a jar, encouraging the little girl to store every penny she finds in the jar as a reminder of how much her grandma loves her.

The story follows the little girl as she discovers pennies throughout her growing-up years, on into adulthood, and finally, as a grandmother who passes along the “penny love” tradition to her own granddaughter.

Lisa Soares Hale’s inspiration for the story came from watching her own mother, who often picked up pennies, glanced toward heaven, and whispered, “I love you, Mom,” to her mother who had passed away.

Lisa’s mom would then give the penny to one of her granddaughters, saying, “Keep that penny and know that I love you.”

Lisa, who has three daughters, decided to create a penny jar for each of her girls so they can watch the “deposits of grandma’s love” grow. “My mother lives in Florida and we live in Arizona,” says Lisa. “But whenever my girls find a penny—which is quite regularly—they’re reminded that Grandma loves them.”

Her daughters enjoy watching their jars fill with pennies, says Lisa. “But their most special moments are finding the pennies, because their eyes light up and they say, ‘Grandma’s thinking of me right now.’”

Most people view pennies as a worthless nuisance, and toss them without a second thought, says Lisa. “I’m amazed at how many people leave pennies lying around.”

For her, pennies are anything but useless. As a symbol of love, they’re priceless. “As those jars start filling with pennies, they become invaluable symbols of love.”

If you can afford to buy only one book for your child or grandchild this Christmas, let Penny Love be that book.