When Gramps realizes he has Alzheimer’s disease, he starts a memory box with his grandson, Zach, to keep memories of all the times they have shared.
The Memory Box
- By Mary Bahr
- Illustrated by David Cunningham
When Gramps realizes he has Alzheimer’s disease, he starts a memory box with his grandson, Zach, to keep memories of all the times they have shared.
Upbeat, but also sensible and perceptive.
This picture book for middle readers refreshingly features a family that talks about difficult topics—and whose members, including Gramps himself, find a way to heal their wounds…Rich, uncomplicated illustrations deftly delineate the scene and the players in this quiet and touching drama. Love and reassurance fill these pages—along with the sadness of loss and knowledge that there is more to come.
This sensitive offering circumvents the pitfalls of “disease books” and proves itself to be a fitting tribute to love…wonderfully executed, evocative artwork…Unlike other books on the topic, where the elderly relative is often beyond recognition, this grandfather remains himself most of the time. Knowing he’ll forget makes his struggle for memories all the more poignant.