The author presented a dramatic retelling of life and the decline that some of us will go through with ordinary aging. Katharine Yusuf insinuates that there is no crystal ball that will allow any of us to look into the future and see how our mental faculties stand up at a later time. At least, that's how I read it - between the lines.

It was a short story with a long message that can be applied to both young and old alike. Designed primarily for the child in mind, this story goes a long way by also having included at the end helpful suggestions for coping with a loved one with dementia. Wonderful illustrations added the icing to the cake for this heartfelt story.

I send my gratitude to NetGalley and Prairie Moon Publishers for this digital edition in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a lovely book about Dementia. Ellie does not understand how come her grandmother do not recognize her sometimes, so, it is her mom job to try explain the condition grandma has. It is a touching story.

Immediately, I feel like I need to say that the cover feels incredibly dated. It was the title that drew me in, to choose to read this book.

I found this book to be suited to intermediate readers, school aged children 8-12. It is written in a way that children dealing with loss would be able to understand the message within the text, and read it alone or with a parent.

I like the premise of this book, that we are allowing children to see that grandparents can get sick and they can leave us. But it is shown in such a loving and kind way.

A good read, the illustrations feel a little dated to me though.

My only experiences with dementia came post-childhood, but I’m sure there are a lot of children out there with a grandparent (or great-grandparent) who is dealing with the condition.

Grandma’s Precious Memories will be a useful, important book for some young readers, though I know every parent will differ in how they want to approach the topic.

Definitely one to be read with an adult, and probably a good book for the classroom.

Bonus discussion questions and activities are included at the end.

Soft pastels in this book help to keep children calm and relaxed. A young girl is excited to visit her grandma one day and is sad and upset when grandma doesn't remember her. She just can't understand why. A good book explaining dementia and memory loss for the child under 10.
Pub Date 20 Aug 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Prairie Moon Publishers through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

A warming story about the power of love between a grandma and her granddaughter, and the bond that ties us forever to those we love!

Grandma's Precious Memories is a lovely picture book, aimed at children under 10, to help them understand and cope when a grandparent suffers from dementia and memory loss.

Ellie always looks forward to visit her grandmother, who is nowadays living in a care home.
Her gran suffers from dementia and there are good days and bad days.
On one of those bad days, when young Ellie arrives, her grandma doesn't recognize her.
Ellie is shocked, hurt and upset.
In the evening at home her mother talks to her and the girl opens up about her worries and concerns.
Will she be forgotten and all the memories she and gran shared together, too?

Her mother tells her of a special memory box, where all the precious moments the two of them had, are locked away and kept safe for now, until one day in heaven a golden key will open the lock and all the beautiful memories are there for her grandmother to enjoy now forever and so nothing will be lost.

After hearing this Ellie feels much better and even plans more extra special time with her gran so there's more to fill the box with happy moments.

When I was a teen one of my grans also suffered from dementia and I totally love the author's idea of a precious memory box, where everything is kept safe (well, at least the nice memories) and therefore out of reach from deteriorating brain cells.

It also always works better for children to be able to visualize something in a way they can grasp and understand.
A box with a key, like a piggy bank, which is there, but still somewhat out of reach, but not for all eternity, I believe, that's actually a clever way for all family members, no matter if they are young or old, to cope with an illness like dementia which is difficult and demanding for all involved.

The illustrations fit the warmhearted story extremely well, there are no bold colours but tender and soft pastel shades and the little girl receives lots of hugs and cuddles.

The book is rounded off by questions for discussion and activities, such as making your own memory box or how to help your Gran to remember things and finally there's a recipe of Grandma's Lemon Squares (which Ellie bakes for her gran as a special treat in the story).

Highly recommended.