Granny Can’t Remember Me
By Susan McCormick
Illustrated by Timur Deberdeev
When Alzheimer’s disease and dementia affects members of a
family, so much about it can be difficult for adults to understand, and accept.
Imagine how confusing it can feel to the young children in those families? Now
there’s a book by Susan McCormick for young children aged three to eight that helps
when they discover that Granny Can’t
Remember Me.
The book tackles this topic in a soothing, fun, and helpful
way and in a language that engages children. It’s very clever that the story is
told by the character of Joey who is a six-year-old boy. His voice sounds so true
to this age range, giving readers someone they can relate to. Joey is very
matter of fact about his visits with his granny, and he finds joy in the things
that she does remember. In some of his descriptions of their visits there is a
wonderful injection of humor which is very clever in that he pokes fun at the
situation, not the people. He doesn’t dwell on what Granny can’t remember, but
accepts her happily as she is. In the end Joey relates the wonderful surprise to
the reader about how he definitely knows that although Granny Can’t Remember Me, “But Granny loves me. And I love Granny.”
The text of this book is readable by the older children in
this age group who have started to read. But that doesn’t diminish also encouragement
to read this book to the children out loud. It’s an engaging, short story that provides
an opportunity to surface some questions and discussion about their specific
situation that children would like to voice and talk about, but may not feel
prompted to otherwise. The illustrations throughout the book are delightful,
warm, and page turning.
The author, Susan McCormick is a doctor who lives in
Seattle. She graduated from Smith College and George Washington University
Medical School. She is married and has two boys. She also learned a lot about families
living with Alzheimer’s when it occurred in her family. The multi-talented
illustrator, Timur Deberdeev lives in Uzbekistan.
And for more information, please check susanmccormickbooks.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment