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CM . . .
. Volume XXIII Number 5. . . .October 7, 2016
excerpt:
With a deft mix of candidness and compassion, Weeds in Nana’s Garden, by Kathryn Harrison, tackles a difficult topic for many Canadian families: Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It tells the tender story of a young girl and her beloved Nana. Together, the inseparable pair spends hours tending Nana’s lush garden by planting seeds in spring, picking flowers in summer, and raking leaves in fall. It is a truly magical place. Then, one summer day, the little girl notices that Nana’s garden has become unkempt and choked by weeds. She is scared and confused, wondering why Nana has let her garden become so overgrown. In answer to her worried questions, the girl’s mother gently explains that Nana has Alzheimer’s disease. Moving forward, the family tenderly supports one another through Nana’s developing illness, and they come to learn that love only grows stronger in the face of adversity.
Highly Recommended. Chloe Humphreys is a newly minted librarian with a passion for children’s literature and reading. She lives in beautiful Vancouver, BC.
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Next Review | Table of Contents For This Issue - October 7, 2016 |
Using the garden metaphor as a tool to illustrate the progression of dementia, this picturebook explains Alzheimer’s disease to children in clear and sensitive terms. The book’s young narrator asks questions of her mom that echo real-world concerns that many children have about a family member with dementia, guiding young readers through the delicate process of understanding brain disease. To further support families, the book also includes a helpful Q&A section that answers questions like: “Who gets dementia?” and “Is there any medicine to help?”