Ice Cream with Grandpa: A Loving Story for Kids About Alzheimer's & Dementia

by Laura Smetana, Elisabete B. P. de Moraes (Illustrator)

Overview

After his beloved grandpa's health declines and he receives a diagnosis of dementia, a grandson must navigate the changes in their relationship. Through it all, he learns that Grandpa is still Grandpa, and their bond deepens and sweetens through a shared love of ice cream.

Ice Cream with Grandpa is a loving, tender picture book that gently explores the topics of dementia, aging, and loss. Written from a child's point of view, it chronicles the changes in their relationship as his grandpa moves to assisted living, then memory care, and eventually hospice.

Based on the author's own experience with her father and son, the touching story and beautiful illustrations by Elisabete B. P. de Moraes addresses these challenging topics with a kind, age-appropriate approach that will resonate with young readers-while providing tools to help children maintain meaningful relationships with loved ones with the disease.

Includes a guide for parents on talking to kids about dementia, hospice, death, and grief by expert on grief and loss, Diane Snyder Cowan, MA, MT-BC, CHPCA.

While the book specifically deals with Alzheimer's and dementia, its themes are universally applicable to helping children understand the changes in and loss of older relatives and loved ones.

Praise for Ice Cream with Grandpa:

Northern Lights Book Awards 2022 Winner - Health Category

Maxy Award 2022 Children's Book Runner-Up

"A moving, effective resource for conversations in the face of dementia and loss." -Kirkus Reviews

"Smetana pulls from personal experience, as detailed in an author's note, to deliver an approachable and realistic story brimming with well-researched, audience-conscious insight." -Publisher's Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781737140924
Publisher:	Flying Cardinal Press
Publication date:	06/01/2022
Pages:	44
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	5 - 10 Years

About the Author

Laura Smetana has fond memories of enjoying ice cream with her son and his grandpa, Laura's dad. Ice Cream with Grandpa: A Loving Story for Kids About Alzheimer's & Dementia was inspired by their relationship, before and after her dad developed Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. She has three generations of ice cream scoopers in her home-one from her grandpa, one from her dad, and one she got with her family in France. Each one brings back sweet memories with loved ones. Laura co-authored her debut children's book, Little Squiggle's Lake Adventure, with her son, Stirling Hebda. She lives with her family in the Chicago suburbs, where she is happily at work on several new books for kids. You can visit her at www.laurasmetana.com.

Elisabete B. P. de Moraes loves to laugh. When she was a child, she looked forward to weekends when her grandfather came to visit and brought lots of candies. When she isn't illustrating picture books, you can find her streaming her favorite shows or sitting around the kitchen table with her family and friends, talking, laughing, and enjoying ice cream. Her favorite flavors are strawberry and salted caramel. Elisabete lives in Brazil with her husband, daughter, and their neighbor's cat, Cookie, who is always sneaking into their home. Soon they will have their own pet-they're just waiting for their daughter to decide between a dog, cat, swimming cow, or llama.

Editorial Reviews

12/05/2022

Ice cream acts as an anchor between a child and grandparent in this tender tale about Alzheimer’s, dementia, and growing older. In opening pages, an unnamed youth, depicted with blond hair and pale skin, regales the reader with memories of Grandpa teaching them about different ice cream flavors. In subsequent spreads, the duo garden and spend long days at the park. As the child matures, so too does Grandpa, who undergoes various surgeries and moves to a memory care facility; all the while, the narrator grapples with the complex emotions that can come with visiting a loved one with dementia. Throughout changes to Grandpa’s living situations and health, the pair indulge in their favorite pastime: ice cream. Moraes’s illustrations, rendered with warm washes of digital watercolor, exude gentleness and comfort, and the portrayal of the characters’ aging process and Grandpa’s health decline are thoughtfully handled. Smetana pulls from personal experience, as detailed in an author’s note, to deliver an approachable and realistic story brimming with well-researched, audience-conscious insight. A caregivers’ guide and resources surrounding dementia and grief conclude. Ages 5–10. (Self-published)

Publishers Weekly