The Gift of Goodbye

Hello and welcome!

Today I would like to introduce you to a book I read recently and found it compelling.

How do you explain Alzheimer’s Disease to kids? Start with a bedtime story that will help them process what’s happening to Grandma.

“This heartfelt exploration of Alzheimer’s Disease is the perfect read to help your children develop an understanding of the effects of the illness on your loved ones.” E.M. Fitch

Caleb will do anything to protect the people he loves–and his grandma is top of that list, especially now that she has Alzheimer’s disease.

After Emma accidentally insults Grams, Caleb lashes out and makes fun of Emma’s dyslexia. Emma’s best friend Sydney rushes to her defense, starting a girls versus boys cartoon war that involves the whole sixth grade. Pencils ready, students of Whitman Elementary, prepare to battle!

When Sydney starts taking art lessons from Grams, she connects with Grams in a way that Caleb can’t. Love, lost memories, and new friendships enable powerful conversations to happen, especially about the toughest topic of all–Alzheimer’s disease.

From the Author
Watching a loved one progress through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease is difficult, and talking about it is even harder. That’s why I wrote THE GIFT OF GOODBYE. It’s a story for kids, about kids, not about Alzheimer’s disease. A book that was primarily focused on dementia would have been too sad for children to read. But I know that there are lots of kids in America right now who are witnessing Alzheimer’s change their grandma or grandpa. If THE GIFT OF GOODBYE helps one reader feel less alone, then my effort was worth it.

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I finally managed to post a short review on Amazon and Goodreads after 4 tries where my Kindle was not cooperating and managed to delete THREE TIMES the review right before hitting the submit button. GAH

My review: 5 stars
Ms. Cypress gave us a great book that touches a few sensitive topics, but is easy to read and compelling. Follows a group of children, each dealing with various challenges. One family dealing with Grandma’s fading to Alzheimer’s, another family falling apart after the Father’s accidental death and then the family where the dyslexic daughter facing challenges at school because of it. I recommend this book to readers of all ages.

Alzheimer is a terrible disease and it affects so many families, including my own. There is so much more going on in the book, friendship, young love, betrayal, bullying and child abandonment and the emotions evoked are many: sadness, anger, disgust, fear, indignation, mixed with hope, love, joy, reflection. The author did a great job without making it depressing and showing a different perspective of looking at things that are hard to see or bear. I think children can relate to the story and might help them deal with their feelings, but as I wrote in my review, it can be read by readers of any age.

To keep in touch with Louise Cypress and check out all her books, follow the links below

website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Instagram

Until next time read a book, listen to a book and don’t forget to show your love by leaving a review!