Really and Truly

K-Gr 4—Charlie reminisces about the stories and tricks Grandpa shared with him. Now, "an awful disease has eaten up his memory and his words. It has even swallowed up his smile." The youngster uses the stories and tricks he learned from his grandfather to entice him to respond with a look, a swallow of food, or a hug. When a trick yields a smile, Charlie says, "His awful disease didn't eat up his smile. It was just hidden away, deep down in the bottom of his heart." The amusing, heartfelt narrative reassures readers that people with dementia can have a range of responses during visits. Beautiful, expressive cartoonish illustrations extend the text and capture the past, the present, and the imagination with warmth and humor. A valuable addition to library collections, hospitals, and assisted-living facilities.—Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI