ICE CREAM WITH GRANDPA

A boy charts a loving relationship with his grandfather in this picture book.

In a first-person narrative, a White child recounts receiving his first lick of ice cream from his grandfather as a baby. “After that, every time we visited Grandpa’s house, I got ice cream, too,” the boy explains. With ice cream as a common touchstone, the narrator describes his early years when Grandpa planted gardens and played tag. The boy then recalls Grandpa getting older and coping with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Each transition was a challenge, as Grandpa’s house turned into an assisted living apartment, a memory care unit, and finally a hospice. The boy was able to share a last ice cream and feel his grandfather’s love before the man’s death. Smetana’s vocabulary and descriptions seem true to a kid’s experience, and the evenhanded story, which never denies emotions like sadness and frustration, is grounded in kindness. The boy’s mother offers words of assurance throughout the tale, and the backmatter provides a guide written by a hospice administrator to assist parents who are steering their children through similar situations. The soft-edged, watercolor illustrations by de Moraes feature images of comfort and community; even in the difficult moments, there’s a sense of love in the scenes. While discussions about illness and death are always challenging, the author’s approach broaches the topics with care and sympathy.

A moving, effective resource for conversations in the face of dementia and loss.