A ROSE FOR GRANDMA

In this illustrated children’s book, a girl learns how to help her grandmother who’s been diagnosed with dementia.

Bright-eyed Annie loves spending time with her grandparents, as does her brother, Andy. The kids enjoy helping Grandma, especially with baking and gardening. In the kitchen, Annie likes looking through Grandma’s memory box of special recipes, and in the garden, she appreciates the fragrance of her grandparents’ roses; for the elderly woman, they’re a reminder of the single rose that Grandpa gave her in high school, when they fell in love. However, she starts becoming forgetful and confused during the kids’ visits, and the doctor says she has Alzheimer’s disease, which the siblings’ mother explains is “loss of memory, thinking, or reasoning.” Medicine helps Grandma sleep better, and a “Senior’s Memory Club” day program allows her to be with people her age and staff to look after her, so that Grandpa can get a break from caretaking. Still, Grandma has times when she’s sad, withdrawn, or upset. Annie has the good idea to make a memory scrapbook called “A Rose for Grandma!”; now, her grandma “can always have something beautiful to look at, even on her not-so-good days.” In her debut book, Canadian author Egi clearly explains the complicated subject of dementia for young readers, as with an example of Grandma putting her eyeglasses in the microwave by mistake. She also sympathizes with children’s feelings of loss and acknowledges that Alzheimer’s can be tough on caregivers. The memory scrapbook is a practical and compassionate idea for kids to try; another helpful aspect of the book is its included list of resources (mostly Canada-specific). Debut illustrator Kaur supplies somewhat crudely drawn full-color images, but they still capture the warmth of Annie’s family.

An accessible, kindhearted explanation of Alzheimer’s disease.