"I know many of us are blaming ourselves for what happened, and we need to talk this out because it's very hurtful. We're all grieving in our own way, and nobody has the right to tell anyone else what to feel." (15.4)
Here Mia's dad makes a grand speech about guilt and blame for Mango's death. Sometimes, it's easy to confuse grief with fault. Mia does this, and Zack does, too, but their dad points out that they aren't to blame for Mango dying. He was sick and died, that's all that happened.
"You have a great sense of color." If only he knew the half of it! "Thanks," I reply. "They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, you know. I can see Grandpa in those eyes." (2.9)
Her dad has no idea. When he tells Mia the colors she's used in the painting capture her grandpa, she is really pleased, even if he is only saying it to be nice (which he might be). She wants to make her parents proud, and one of the ways she does this is through painting.