The story begins with a little girl scrambling into her grandfather's lap to ask why his skin is "crinkly." Her grandfather explains how wrinkles come from all the wonderful things in his life which made him smile - then as the child asks about specific wrinkles, the grandfather shares the wonderful things which gave him joy.

It's a strongly touching book for adults and a warm hug for young children. The grandfather's stories are full of big moments like weddings and births, but the author slips in little things too like funny moments in his child's life - I especially liked how it illustrated that what seems a common day can become a lifetime memory. It was fun to watch the grandfather age - the change in hairstyles alone made me smile.

The colorful drawings illustrating the book are full of charming detail, especially in the grandfather / granddaughter scenes which glow with the love between the characters in them. Falling autumn leaves, the charming picket fence, the cocker spaniel's wistful gaze, the play of light and breeze on the child's hair - all combine to make the book a cozy treat for read-aloud time.