Grandpa's Music by Alison Acheson

Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth. 32 p., Whitman, 2009. Alzheimer's disease can challenge children to find new ways to connect with people they've always known. As this story begins, Callie's Grandpa, who has Alzheimer's disease, moves into her home. Callie participates in his care, along with her parents and older brother, in very age-appropriate ways: she not only commits to playiing catch with Grandpa and helping him remember his hat, but also, she steps in to welcome him in special ways, inviting him into a new role in the family that helps him to structure his days, and especially, making music with him. As time goes on, he forgets how to do several things, but he always remembers how to play the piano, and he and Callie continue to sing together. When he forgets song lyrics, Callie encourages him to invent new ones with her, and he's happy. Toward the end of the story, he moves into a nursing home, and brings with him his ability to play music, his enjoyment of making up lyrics, and his connection with Callie. Illustrated with oil paintings, this story offers hope of connection in spite of the helplessness than children can feel when a relative has dementia. Ages 6-9

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