Meatballs for Grandpa was a beautiful children’s book that captures family, traditions, love, support, and displays Alzheimer’s representation.

This book is a staple for families to read together so they might discuss their own family traditions.

Meatballs for Grandpa made me think of my own grandfather who passed away from Alzheimer’s and I felt connected to this book right away. Even as an adult reader, this took me back to my own childhood and I find that really beautiful. This story is emotional and powerful.

The illustrations throughout the book are breathtaking and you can almost smell the aroma of meat sauce and spices with each turn of a page.

I loved the author’s note sharing how this story directly connects to her own life and family, and includes her grandmother’s famous meatball recipe for readers!

This book is a special one that warms my heart. I definitely recommend for young and older readers. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This is a wonderful and heartwarming story about a little girl and her grandparents even if it's short. The illustrations are so pretty with a comforting choice of colors. Those spaghetti meatballs look delicious! Thank you, NetGalley and Two Lions for providing me with this lovely ARC.

As someone whose grandfather had Alzheimer’s and he had a hard time remembering me this story made me cry. It’s a perfect story about how the routine of something can bring back what you thought you’ve lost, in this case her grandfather’s ability to remember her. The illustrations are amazing and the story shows a way for children to potentially reconnect with their grandparents who might have this disease.

''Meatballs for Grandpa '' is a heartwarming children's book that delicately explores the topic of Alzheimer's disease and the power of compassion and understanding. Written with sensitivity and empathy, this book aims to help young readers navigate the complexities of having a loved one with Alzheimer's.

The story follows the journey of a young protagonist, whose beloved grandfather, experience memory loss. Through the little girl's eyes, we witness the challenges and emotions that arise as Grandpa's memory fades. The author skillfully portrays the confusion and frustration that can accompany Alzheimer's, while maintaining a sense of hope and love throughout the narrative.

The book beautifully captures the bond between the girl and Grandpa, emphasizing the importance of patience, empathy, and cherishing the moments shared together. It gently introduces children to the concept of memory loss and encourages them to embrace their loved ones with compassion and understanding.

Cooking together can be an activity that strengthens the family bond. In this case, the family makes traditional meatballs together, and young readers will get a terrific description of how to cook. The grandpa is suffering from memory problems, probably because of his age, and the family is using the opportunity to try to renew memories. The pictures are gorgeous
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

This is such a sweet yet heartbreaking picture book. A little girl makes meatballs and sauce with her grandparents in the hopes that it will jog the memory of her ailing grandfather. She and her grandmother wait as he eats, hoping against hope that he will remember his precious “boo-boo doll”. The illustrations are wonderful and perfectly capture everyone’s emotions throughout the cooking session.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are ever-present these days, and this book will be very comforting to young kids who have a loved one suffering from either disease. The book teaches some Italian words and even has the author’s own recipes at the end. It’s a beautiful ode to the special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren, and the role that our senses can play in bringing back cherished memories.

My thanks to NetGalley and Two Lions for a free copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

This is a super sweet book about a child who visit their grandparents and grandpa has a memory problem. Its a very good book to maybe read with your child if you have someone in your family that is struggling with dementia, Alzheimer's. Also has a few works in Italian to teach your child and a recipes for meatballs.