When I See Grandma by Debra Tidball

Ill. by Leigh Hedstrom. Wombat Books, 2014. ISBN 9781921632594.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Alzheimer's. Death. Grandparents. In this heart wrenching but uplifting story, a young girl visits her Grandma in her nursing home with her family. While her young brother plays antics and makes the nurses and residents laugh, she brightens Grandma's dreams by reminiscing with her. Important events in Grandma's life are celebrated. Grandma loved singing so the young girl sings her a song for her to dance on. She loves to brush her hair and so did Grandma, so she brushes her hair, 'for her dreams to dazzle on'.
Using the joyful illustrations by Leigh Hedstrom, the reader finds out more about Grandma's life as a young girl when she was in the war, got married, had children and then grandchildren. Each double page spread has a picture of what is happening in the nursing home and on the opposite side is a loving picture of grandma enjoying life and then finally the family kissing her goodbye and she floats off into the light to meet her husband.
This is a very moving book dealing in a most thoughtful way events that many young children would be going through. It offers children a way of coping with a beloved grandparent's slide into oblivion and a way to rejoice a full and happy life. Proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Hazel Hawke Alzheimer's Research and Care Fund.
Pat Pledger