The War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith is a humorous and heartfelt realistic fiction novel about family, fairness, and the trouble that comes from letting peer pressure guide your decisions.
Reading Level
Lexile 640L
Interest Level
Grades 3-5
Length
164 pages
Award
IRA-CBC Children’s Choice Award
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⭐ About the Book
The story follows ten‑year‑old Peter Stokes, who is shocked to learn that Grandpa is moving in and even more shocked to learn he’ll be taking Peter’s bedroom.
Because Grandpa’s bad leg makes climbing stairs difficult, Peter is sent to the attic room, a space filled with creaks, shadows, and everything Peter dislikes. Feeling wronged, Peter turns to his best friends, Steve and Billy, who encourage him to “fight for what’s yours.” What begins as a small prank quickly escalates into a full‑blown “war,” with Peter and Grandpa each trying to outsmart the other.
As the pranks grow more elaborate, Peter begins to question whether winning is worth the cost and whether there might be a better way to solve the problem. This funny, relatable novel is perfect for upper elementary readers and works beautifully for lessons on character traits, conflict resolution, theme, and point of view.
⭐ Book Details
| Publication Date | 1984 |
| Reading Level | Lexile 640L • Guided Reading Level S |
| Interest Level | Grades 3–5 |
| Awards | IRA‑CBC Children’s Choice Award • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award • William Allen White Award • Young Hoosier Book Award • South Carolina Children’s Book Award • Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice Award • Georgia Children’s Book Award • Alabama Young Readers’ Choice Award |
| Length | 164 pages (approx. 48,800 words) |
| Estimated Reading Time | About 3 hours and 15 minutes |
| Audiobook Length | 2 hours and 16 minutes |
| Genre | Realistic Fiction |
| Setting | Primarily the Stokes family home |
| Themes | Family relationships, peer pressure, fairness, problem‑solving |
| Point of View | First-person (Peter Stokes) |
| Memorable Quote | “Nobody knows how things will turn out… You give it your all and sometimes amazing things happen.” |
| First Line | “This is the true and real story of what happened when Grandpa came to live with us…” |
The War with Grandpa Activities
Book Unit Samples
This sample contains the following:
- Comprehension for Chapters 1-3
- Constructed Response Question
Teaching Idea #1 ~ Comparing the Book to the Movie
The movie based on Robert Kimmel Smith’s book began filming May 2, 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia. Robert De Niro is playing the part of Grandpa. The cast includes Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Christopher Walken, and Cheech Marin. Oakes Fegle from Pete’s Dragon plays Peter. The War with Grandpa was released on the Disney Channel.
These handouts can be used to compare any book to its movie version.
Teaching Idea #2 ~ Movie Trailer
Fans of the novel may enjoy the movie adaptation but should be prepared for some changes in how the story is presented.
One of the main differences between the movie and the novel is the age of the main character, Peter. In the novel, Peter is a 10-year-old boy, while in the movie, he is a teenager. This change in age has an impact on how the story is told. Peter’s motivations and reactions to the situation are different in the movie.
Another difference between the two is the level of conflict between Peter and his grandfather. The book focuses more on humorous pranks. The movie ramps up the tension and conflict between them, leading to more intense and even dangerous pranks.
Additionally, the movie introduces several new characters and subplots that are not present in the novel. This includes a romantic subplot involving Peter’s sister and her boyfriend, as well as a subplot involving a school bully.
Teaching Idea #3 ~ Partner Play
Here are a series of partner play based on 3 scenes from The War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith.
- This scene is from the beginning of the novel when Peter first learns that his grandfather will be moving in with his family.
- This scene takes place in the middle of the novel when Peter and his grandfather are having a discussion about their prank war.
- This scene takes place towards the end of the novel when Peter and his grandfather are starting to realize the impact their prank war has had on their relationship.
Teaching Idea #4 ~ On the Web
See the product that inspired this post.
The War with Grandpa Novel Study includes vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice.
