Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li

When we did come across May’s, we’d do the exact same thing. We’d stop and exchange a look. Ye-Ye would raise an eyebrow. “Egg tarts or coconut bread?” 
And every time, I said, “Both?”

“I’m going to help save the bakery.” “What?” “The bakery,” I said, my voice steadying. “It can’t go. I’m going to figure out a way to help May Wong save it.” There. I said it. Now there was no going back.

It might be good to grab a map of San Francisco or look for some photographs of the city - especially if, like me, you don't live in the US or you are unfamiliar with this city.

I did read this book quite quickly. There were many plot points that felt familiar or similar to other books so while I did enjoy some parts of this story it didn't completely grab me. I have put some similar books at the end of this post.

Plot points:

• A young girl (Ruby Chu) is sent to spend the summer with her grandmother - Nai-Nai. This is partly a punishment because Ruby has been caught leaving her school at lunch time
• Ruby is carrying the burdens of grief and guilt. She is sure it is her fault that her grandfather Ye-Ye died about a year ago.
• Ruby was once best friends with her sister Viv but now that her sister is older and about to head away to college their connection seems to be gone. 
• Adding to this Ruby's best friend Mia has moved across the country and Naomi, her other friend, seems to have moved on to a different group. Ruby feels isolated and alone.
• Mum and Dad are absent from Monday to Friday because they are frantically busy with their work commitments and Ruby cannot talk to them over dinner at the weekend because they are always rushing to answer important phone calls.
• Ruby spends her weekdays with Nai-Nai and each day they go to the Seniors Centre. Ruby does make a friend but at first, she is sure she does not like Liam at all. Over time she finds out he has had some deep sadness in his life and with teamwork they bond over their shared goal of saving the bakery.

Maybe it was because after Liam and I had talked, things had changed. We now worked on stuff together and told each other all kinds of things about our families. I would never ignore him in a hallway again or tease him in my mind.

• Ruby knows she is 'grounded' but she breaks this rule by going a sleepover with Naomi. If she talks to her parents about her grandmother, they will discover this and the sleepover is a disaster.

I needed to tell Dad about Nai-Nai getting lost. And Mom. When would I mention it? I would bring it up at dinner, maybe, tonight when Dad picked me up and drove me home. But then I tried to imagine how the conversation would go. They would ask me what had happened. I would have to tell them about Naomi’s sleepover. They would get mad, I realized. My heart sank. Of course they would. They’d get angry at me and at Nai-Nai for letting me go. I didn’t know what would happen next. Would they yell at Nai-Nai? It wasn’t her fault. But would they stop letting me stay at Nai-Nai’s place? Would that leave Nai-Nai by herself again? I couldn’t leave her alone. If she was left alone maybe she’d forget more things and no one would be around to help her remember. Maybe I wouldn’t tell them, for now. I would tell them eventually. For now, I’d just keep watching Nai-Nai.

• Her grandmother is showing early signs of memory loss and later Ruby learns the words dementia and Alzheimer's.
• Mum and Dad decide Nai-Nai needs to go to an aged care facility and when Nai-Nai runs away but Ruby is able to 'rescue' her and things in her family are finally out in the open and able to be resolved.
• So by now you probably agree with me that the title is perfect - Ruby is lost and then she is found or she discovers things about herself and begins to accept the changes in her life.

Listen to an audio sample here.

Publisher blurb: Thanks to her Ye-Ye’s epic scavenger hunts, thirteen-year-old Ruby Chu knows San Francisco like the back of her hand. But after his death, she feels lost, and it seems like everyone—from her best friends to her older sister—is abandoning her. After Ruby gets in major trouble at school, her parents decide she has to spend the summer at a local senior center with her grandmother, Nai-Nai, and Nai-Nai’s friends for company. When a new boy from Ruby’s grade, Liam Yeung, starts showing up too, Ruby’s humiliation is complete. But Nai-Nai, her friends, and Liam all surprise Ruby. She finds herself working with Liam, who might not be as annoying as he seems, to help save a historic Chinatown bakery that’s being priced out of the neighborhood. And alongside Nai-Nai, who is keeping a secret that threatens to change everything, Ruby retraces Ye-Ye’s scavenger hunt maps in an attempt to find a way out of her grief—and maybe even find herself. 

Big feelings are uncomfortable but to be expected in this story of finding joy and community amid change and loss. Kirkus Star review

(While) this is not an exciting, page-turner; it's a self-contained family drama that's essentially about a grieving girl getting to know her grandmother better. It's definitely worth a read though -- Ruby's family and struggles feel real, the exploration of grief and intergenerational family relationships is touching, and the San Francisco setting sparkles. Common Sense Media

Read this detailed review from Ms Yingling and one from Horn Book Magazine.

I did enjoy the descriptions of Chinatown and also the relationships between the older ladies at the senior centre where Ruby goes each day with her grandmother. This book also explores the complexities of junior high friendships and peer group relationships. Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this story by Christina Li.

I took a bite and savored the sweet, creamy egg custard, pressing down the inkling of worry in my chest. The crust was soft and flaky and melted on my tongue. “Thank you,” I said, muffled, my mouth half-full. It was just like how I remembered it in May’s Bakery on a busy Saturday morning or on a quiet Sunday afternoon, leaning over the counter to peer at the egg tarts and sponge cakes through the glass. I took a sip of the tea and leaned back and felt warm and full.

They passed out bingo cards and chips. And right before it started, Auntie Lin leaned back to speak to May Wong. She kept her voice low, but I was just close enough to hear her say, in Mandarin, “Another kid to babysit? What are we, a day care?" ... Also: another kid? Some other grandchild was being brought here against their will? Five hours to go. The clock was literally slowing before my eyes.

Nai-Nai also didn’t do much after the days at the senior center. She used to always go on small trips and errands. Back when she was really into making clothes, she’d take me with her to the fabric store. We’d hang out for hours while she draped lengths of fabric over herself, so it looked like she had a rainbow cape. Or during her paint phase, she’d grab watercolors and have Ye-Ye and me paint with her. But now, like clockwork, we headed straight back to the apartment in the late afternoon. She wore gray sweater-vests and different varieties of handmade baggy pants. And her only hobby these days seemed to be watching TV.

Ye-Ye made me a scavenger hunt every August, the weekend before school started. There were colored-pencil marks over all of this map, a different color for every year. Dark green was last year. Gold was the year before, then red. The last time that Viv joined us for the scavenger hunts was recorded in a beautiful sky blue, looping near the ocean. Viv always liked to charge ahead with each clue, as if it was a race to finish as fast as possible. I liked to wander. And then the next year she stopped coming.

The other day, she left the package of tofu out on the counter after cooking noodles. When Nai-Nai came for breakfast, she stared at the tofu package and asked me why I’d taken it out for breakfast. Nai-Nai was always a bit scatterbrained. She often left mail and receipts out on the coffee table and left books she was reading open and facedown. But she never really misplaced things in the kitchen.

You might want to grab a copy of this book after reading Ruby lost and found:

And you want to eat a custard tart or some coconut bread and visit a Japanese stationery store to buy some of those fun animal erasers (chapter 7).

Companion books:

Tree Table Book

Talking to the Moon

Maizy Chen's last chance

Just like Jackie

The Keeper of the Octopus by Neridah McMullin

"Every child in the village grew up hearing the tale. It was folklore. A long time ago a shark attacked a Portablow fishing boat as a it sailed up the river with its catch. A giant octopus who lived at the river mouth fought with the shark, saving the fisherfolk and their livelihood. And from then on, an octopus had always lived at the river mouth to protect the fisherfolk from sharks. At least that was the story."

Pippy lives with her elderly great uncle. She desperately misses her mother who has died recently and also longs to talk to her father, but he has headed away to sea and has been gone for nine months. It is clear Uncle Isaac who is caring for her now, is suffering from memory loss. It has begun to feel dangerous to sail with him, but Pippy needs to do this because Uncle Isaac, like all the people in this village, rely on fishing for their income.

The village is near a cove and decades ago there was a problem with shark attacks. Pippy is sure this is not the fault of the sharks but rather a symptom of things being out of balance. There has always been the story about an octopus but surely this is just a folktale. Young Pippy discovers it is her own mother who has been the Keeper of the Octopus but now that her mother is gone destiny determines Pippy herself must now feed, care for, and learn to communicate with Octavia. Uncle Isaac gives Pippy a special talisman, a stone that she wears around her neck. It glows and helps her know when Octavia is near. She also has the diary written by generations of her ancestors which tells her how to care for and recognise the moods of the octopus. 

Then three brothers arrive in the village. They appear at first to be fishermen but then they bring back an enormous catch with all sorts of precious sea creatures - way more than the town could ever need. Pippy knows this is a wrong and dangerous practice and then she hears one of the men talking about Octavia and so she knows this will be a race against time to keep Octavia safe and to convince the town authorities that the Calamary brothers are dangerous. 

As with all great stories there were moments in this book when I gasped, when I cheered, and when I sighed. One special character, apart from young Pippy who is wise beyond her years, is her friend Wally.

"Wally had been born with a deformed foot, a foot that turned inwards and downwards, worsening as he grew older, which meant he couldn't walk very fast nor go very far. Teased at school because of his limp, Wally stuttered a little when he spoke. He never said much. But he was a child who noticed things, small things."

And there is an element of magical realism because Pippy and her uncle live with a family brownie named Ferg. He tends to the house and the cooking. I loved his way of talking he always addresses her by saying - Pippy Cocklebiddy, daughter of Claudine and he uses words like bairn, Mither, orright, and nowt. He reminded me a little of Dobbie from the Harry Potter series. 

Here are a couple of text quotes:

"There were masses of bluefin tuna, black bream, tommy ruff and kingfish; hundreds of snapper, flathead, silver perch, and graylings; and many smaller good eating fish such as garfish, whiting, salmon and trevally. There were even parrot fish, which Pippy thought was odd because everyone knew they were inedible. Portablow fishers always tossed them back into the sea. The brother hauled even more baskets onto the wharf, tipping out dozens of sharks, Bronze whalers, and even a huge basking shark ... It was beautiful but its bright blue eyes quickly faded to a dull grey, dead colour."

"Pippy felt heavy with sadness. Uncle Isaac's memory was getting worse. He'd just put both their lives in terrible danger. It was as if his brain was erasing everything he'd ever known, including her, and that was what hurt the most. She had to do more to help him, more to look after him, but she wasn't sure how much more she could do unless she was with him for every minute of every day."

This book is certain to be a 2026 CBCA Notable title in the Younger Readers category. Here is the web page for Neridah McMullin. Here is a link to some detailed Teachers Notes.  I have previously talked about Eat my Dust; Drover; Tearaway coach; Fabish the horse that braved a Bushfire; and Evie and Rhino. 

Publisher blurb for The Keeper of the Octopus: Since her father sailed away, Uncle Isaac is the only family Pippy has left. Together they spend their days fishing off the coast, until one day Pippy is knocked into the sea and rescued by a gentle, giant creature … Uncle Isaac knows it’s time to tell Pippy the truth. Pippy is the descendent of a long line of Keepers – the Keeper of the Octopus, responsible for the giant octopus who protects the fisherfolk of the village. At first, Pippy is hesitant to meet Octavia, but soon the octopus is sharing her dreams with Pippy and they recognise each other as kindred spirits. But when the Calamary Brothers come to Portablow, she learns of their search for a particular giant octopus. It's up to Pippy - and her rag-tag crew of a cat, a dog, a hobgoblin called Ferg and an albatross – to rescue Octavia from the Calamary’s clutches.

I was enthralled by this book, because it captured a timeless world with a touch of magic, coupled with a commentary on some of the issues we face today: grief, environmental issues, bullying and disability. Wally was such a cool character too, and I loved his friendship with Pippy, and that he believed her without question. This is the mark of a true friendship. It was one that I loved, and one that I think kids need to see more of in the books they read. And it’s another reason I love reading kids’ books, because they feel less judgmental and more accepting. The Book Muse

Companion books:

My Friend the Octopus

Song of a Thousand Seas

Tree Table Book by Lois Lowry

"I'm going to tell you three words. I'm choosing them at random. Listen carefully. This will be important.

House.

Umbrella.

Apple.

Remember those. I'll explain later."

Sophia (known as Sophie) is aged eleven and her best friend is Sophie Gershowitz. Sophie is eighty-eight years old and she lives next door to Sophia. Sophia wants to tell us the story of Sophie. Sophia once received some advice about writing: "Begin on the day that is different."

Ralph is a kid in her neighborhood. Ralph's dad is a pediatrician and so he owns a copy of The Merck Manual which is a reference book for doctors. And there is Oliver who is seven and on the autism spectrum. So, Sophia has three friends - Sophie her Friend of the Heart; Ralphie her same age friend; and Oliver.

Sophia loves check the Merck. Sophia needs the Merck because she has overheard a conversation about her best friend Sophie's health. Sophia is also a medical hypochondriac and her medical dilemmas are sure to make you laugh.

"There is something about a book; the feel of it, the weight of it in your hands, the way the pages turn (pages in the Merck are very thin and extremely serious-seeming, the cover is leather, and there are built-in index tabs."

Aaron, Sophie's son, is coming from Akron. Sophia's parents tell her Sophie will take a test to check her memory or we would say cognition. This gives Sophia  a brilliant idea. She can help Sophie pass this test - all it will take is some training. Sophia is sure Sophie has good eyesight and good hearing but sometimes she seems to miss smells and often Sophie finds very stinky things in her fridge. She also sometimes forgets to turn off her kettle. 

If you have an elderly parent or grandparent you might be familiar with the tests for dementia - one of the questions involves remembering three objects - hence the title of this book - the short-term memory test. Over several days, as Sophia asks the test questions, we gain an insight into Sophie and her life in Poland, her husband, and the holocaust. Sophia uses the three-word test as a way for Sophie to recall her childhood and Sophie tells three stories - the tree with the berries picked too soon by the children; the table at the baker shop that Sophie was not allowed to visit; and the book of fairy tales that her mother returned to the rich owner - the house where Sophie was hidden over the war years.

Lowry is famous for dealing with difficult subjects in her work, which has occasionally been banned, and as young Sophie encourages older Sophie to delve into her long-term memories, it becomes clear that this is also a novel about surviving the Holocaust. Three brilliantly told stories from Sophie’s Polish childhood form the climax of the novel, contrasting very effectively with young Sophie’s charming, insouciant 21st-century kid voice (captured to perfection by the 87-year-old Lowry). The Historical novel society

When the test prep unlocks memories of Sophie G.’s childhood in Poland during World War II, Lowry conveys with sensitivity and realism Sophie W.’s sorrow upon realizing that things she’s only learned about in school have had a painful, lifelong impact on her beloved friend. Book Page

Read more plot details here.

Readers aged 10+ who enjoy personal stories and stories about kindness are sure to enjoy Tree Table Book. Sophia has such a determined attitude and voice. You should also look for these in your local or school library:

Girl 38 Finding a Friend

I'll keep you close

Just like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard

First-time novelist Lindsey Stoddard hits a home run with this touching story of a rough-around-the-edges but loveable protagonist. Kids Book a Day

Her name is Robinson - that's her first name. Do not call her Robin! Robinson is a champion at playground snow baseball and an expert with car repairs. She is a feisty girl who should not be crossed but she also has a longing in her heart. Robinson knows nothing about her mother. She knows her mother died just after she was born but her grandfather refuses to talk about her. Then the worst possible thing happens at school. The teacher sets an assignment to draw and present a talk about their family tree. Robinson only has one person in her family. This assignment is NOT going to happen. She also has to contend with a bully at school and now she has been dragged into group counselling sessions with a special teacher oh and that bully kid is there too!

Meanwhile her grandfather's memory is failing. Charlie is still okay with working on cars in his mechanics business and Robinson is always thrilled when she can work there too but at other times he keeps forgetting his words and misplacing every day items such as his favourite flannel shirt. There is also a crisis on the day they are pouring the maple syrup and his hand is badly burnt. It seems certain someone will report her grandfather and they will be separated. Robinson knows she has to fight against this no matter what.

Luckily there are kind people in her life. Her friend Derek, Harold who works with Charlie at the garage, Harold's partner Paul (they are about to adopt a baby), Ms Gloria the school counsellor, and Candace another kid in the counselling group.

Here are a few text quotes to give you a flavour of this story:

"Plus the ground is thawing and the sap is running and Grandpa could use my help collecting it from the maple trees we tapped, then boiling it into syrup. School just gets in the way of the stuff worth doing."

"he didn't do anything wrong except get given a bad kid."

"It makes me wonder if she can see into Grandpa's tired memory and if she knows that sometime he leaves his keys in the refrigerator and the milk by the door."

"There are only three places in the whole world that make me feel like this, I'm not sparky at all. Third base where Jackie Robinson played; our sugar maple trees in the backyard; and in Grandpa's garage fixing something that's broken."

"I'll never be able to find any memories. And I'm scared he's forgetting his. Then I'll never know."

"Her eyes are blue. Not baby-blanket wussy blue ... they're windshield washer-fluid blue. Like they could scrub-the-streaks-and-smudges-and-bird-crap-right-out-of-you-blue."

"I can only remember my mom and feel that feeling in my gut that I get when I remember she's dead because I'm alive but I don't even know why because Grandpa is closed up so tight."

"I'm so sad at Grandpa's brain because I don't know how to diagnose his malfunction, and I don't even know if he knows that his check engine light's on."

I started this book on a long train journey and finished it the next day but here is a warning - it might not have been a good idea to read this book in public because I sobbed (twice) near the end - I am sure the person sitting next to me on the bus wondered what on earth was going on!

This book could feel too American for an Australian child but really I was fascinated to learn about the making of maple syrup and also I don't think it matters at all that I had never heard of the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson. I also had to research shoes called Air Griffeys. 

Publisher blurb: For as long as Robinson Hart can remember, it’s just been her and Grandpa. He taught her about cars, baseball, and everything else worth knowing. But Grandpa’s memory has been getting bad–so bad that he sometimes can’t even remember Robbie’s name. She’s sure that she’s making things worse by getting in trouble at school, but she can’t resist using her fists when bullies like Alex Carter make fun of her for not having a mom. Now she’s stuck in group guidance–and to make things even worse, Alex Carter is there too. There’s no way Robbie’s going to open up about her life to some therapy group, especially not with Alex in the room. Besides, if she told anyone how forgetful Grandpa’s been getting lately, they’d take her away from him. He’s the only family she has–and it’s up to her to keep them together, no matter what.

Validating, heart-rending, and a deft blend of suffering and inspiration. Kirkus Star review

Listen to a five minute audio sample. Warning there are some mildly strong language used in this book for example the words 'crap' 'effing' and 'bull crap'. 

I previously read and loved two other books by Lindsey Stoddard.  Just Like Jackie was published in 2018 it may still be available - I read a Kindle version.

Right as Rain

Brave Like That

I have also added this book to my 'to read' list as it also tackles the topic of a family tree school assignment told by a girl with no family.

These long-loved things by Josh Pyke illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh

"I snuggle up and read you books that you read to me ... "

"I hold your hand and smile."

The text in this book is an ode to a long relationship which is coming to an end. The older adult or grandparent, is losing their memory, but the grandchild works hard to maintain a connection through shared memories. The memories come from photographs and experiences such as reading books together or eating a delicious cake with cream and jam along with visiting familiar places.

This book is a CBCA 2025 Picture Book Notable title. I think it might have a chance at making the shortlist. 

I love to think about an illustrator receiving the text for a picture book - perhaps on just one sheet of paper. There are no rules or constraints. The illustrator can use their creativity and imagination to add another dimension to the story. Picture books are such a unique art form - the combination of a literary text and art. Ronojoy Ghosh uses so many perspectives in his digital illustrations in this book along with very interesting ways of showing shadows. Each page turn is a total change of scene, colour and text placement. 

Here are some lines of the text that resonated with me:

"Words and songs and names may fade like leaves on a breeze, they might float away ... but the place in your heart where they land remains and when you no longer can, I hold your hand and remember."

Here are the very detailed Scholastic Teachers Notes.

You need to read this book very slowly and in a quiet place - try to set this mood if you are reading this book to a group in your library. This is a book you could read to children from Grade 2 right up to Grade 6. If you can allow the children to touch the cover of this book and talk about why the book designer has decided to deboss the image. With a group of older students you should also notice the dedication by Josh Pyke to his own grandmother Catherine. And talk about why the end papers are filled with autumn leaves. 

Other books about memory loss and the relationship between a child and a grandparent:

Phyllis and Grace

The Forgettery

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Dance like a Leaf

Mr Mornington's Favourite things

To Stir with Love by Kate Mildenhall illustrated by Jess Racklyeff

I am not very good at cooking, but I can make cakes, and this is all due to my mother taking the time to show me how - letting me do some steps at first and later watching me make the whole cake myself. Even now decades later I still hear her voice in my head explaining simple steps used for all cake making about sifting the flour, the speed of the beaters, and incorporating ingredients slowly. 

The little girl in this book is our narrator and she explains how every Monday she visits her grandmother and together they make a cake. 

"It's my everything cake. ... My grandmother's grandmother gave it to her and my grandmother gave it to me."

I was so pleased to see the recipe is included at the back of this book.  I am sure this book will be a 2025 CBCA Notable title in the Early Childhood category. The publisher site has an activity pack to use with this book. 

The wonderful watercolour illustrations sweep across every page, showing a Grandma’s garden with fruit trees, vegetable garden, and lots of different colours. ... I had a lovely time looking at the various older pieces of equipment used in Grandma’s kitchen: a whisk, flour sifter, hand beater, aprons, oven mitts, milk jug, tea pot etc. Read Plus

Real life photographs of the author’s family sit alongside creative colours and montages that transport us straight into the kitchen, where it feels like we’re literally holding cups of sugar and whipping the butter. There are textures and photos and little bits of flour wafting around that actually make one’s nose tickly. Kids' Book Review

For a list of other books about the relationship between a child and grandparent take a look at this post. Companion books:

The Forgettery

Grandma's Story

A Year in Fleurville

Wolfie's Secret

Mr Mornington's Favourite things by Karen George

Mr Mornington lives next door. Our narrator, a young girl, visits him through a gap in their hedge fence. She knows Mr Mornington likes gardening, cherry cake, his woolly hat and playing his saxophone. The friends share a love of music and when he plays his sweet tunes the little girl thinks of all her own favourite things - her cat, her mum, her friends, special shoes and socks and cherry cupcakes. 

Over time, though, it is clear Mr Mornington is beginning to forget things. He offers to teach the little girl so she can become the second-best saxophone player in the world but then he forgets, and he doesn't even tell them he is leaving. Sadly Mr Mornington has now moved into an aged care home.

Our little girl is not deterred however. She is given a small saxophone and she works hard and practices and when she and her mum go to visit they take cherry cake and music. Mr Mornington is sometimes sad but sometimes, there are glorious days, when he does remember some of the things that make him happy - his wife, his dog, music, cups of tea, his garden and cherry cupcakes. You can see these things and more on the book cover. And the cherry cake recipe is in the back of the book.

Karen George uses colour and white space to express emotion: when everything is great fun there’s not much space on the pages and she uses bright primary colours; when Mr Mornington has left, rather like the use of white space in John Burningham’s ‘Granpa’, the page is almost blank, the plants have shrivelled from lack of care and an empty cup lies upturned on the floor. But when Mr Mornington does occasionally remember his favourite things, there is a riot of flowers, slippers, gardening tools, the dog, his woolly hat, cherry cakes, the radio, a car and, of course, his saxophone. And the colour remains as the girl grows older and remembers her friend when she plays their favourite song for others. Just Imagine

I would pair this with Grace and Mr Milligan. You might also think of Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. 

I also thought of sharing The Sound of Music song - My favourite things. 

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Phyllis and Grace by Nigel Gray illustrated by Bethan Welby

"Grace's mum baked a cake. She asked Grace to take a slice to Phyllis. Phyllis lived next door."

Love Reading4Kids: Grace is a little girl; Phyllis is the old lady next door. Phyllis lives alone and her memory is fading, but that doesn't stop Grace from liking her. They find that, despite the gap in their ages, they have much in common and a moving and enduring friendship is born. This is a deeply touching story for all the family of how a little girl befriends her elderly neighbour who has dementia ...

Nigel Gray gives readers heartbreaking insights into Phyllis and her memory loss/dementia:

"Phyllis poured milk from a carton into the kettle. The milk smelt sour. Phyllis came and sat down at the table again without switching on the kettle."

"Finally, she found the slice of cake that Grace's mother had made. It was furry with mould."

"She rolled up the painting and put it in the fridge."

Strengths of this story:

• Nigel Gray does not shy away from a focus on a complex issue - dementia and also neglect (do her family ever visit - we know the house needs repairs)
• Grace is a beautiful child who is so very, very patient with Phyllis
• The story is an important portrait of kindness in action
• Gentle appealing illustrations
• A sweet ending but not one that unnecessarily tries to solve the main issue of memory loss and dementia

Things that could cause concern:

• Grace's parents do not seem to notice that Phyllis needs more help not just an occasional piece of cake or a small container of food
• Do the parents ask Grace about her visit to Phyllis - surely this young child is puzzled by the questions Phyllis asks over and over again especially about her children, husband and even her own name?
• Grace's dad comes over and repairs the broken electrical fuse but the page turn is a little abrupt - clearly Phyllis is so confused about this strange man in her house
• What does Phyllis eat? Is someone actually caring for her on a regular basis? 
• Is this story too distressing for a very young child? Or am I just adding a layer of my own adult sensibilities. We watch Phyllis decline even further over the course of the story but I guess it is good that mostly her mood is portrayed as fairly happy. 
• Reading this book could lead to difficult questions - I know these are important but that is why you need to consider the age of the child - where is her husband? Where are the children? Are they really upstairs? Why is Phyllis doing all these strange things?

This is a book you could share with one child (not a class). It does have a lot of text but more importantly you need to leave lots of room for questions. I would say this book is suitable for ages 7+ but most reviewers seem to say 3 or 4+.

Basing the story on the experience of his own granddaughter and her neighbour, author Nigel Gray’s story is told with great sensitivity and equally sensitively illustrated in Bethan Welby’s gentle watercolour scenes. Together words and pictures beautifully document the progression of dementia and how it might appear, from a young child’s viewpoint. A book for adults and children to share and discuss as gently as it’s presented by its creators. Red Reading Hub

I love this book for its gentleness, its compassionate view of the world, so much an expression of its author. What I also like so much is the respect the author shows for his readers, never lecturing or hectoring, never stating categorically what we must think, but assuming that his thoughts on the subject will be gleaned from the story itself. Living arts Canberra

I mentioned Phyllis and Grace when I talked about the 2023 White Ravens titles. 

Companion books:

Newspaper Hats

The author Nigel Gray is interesting - he was born in the UK and now lives in Western Australia but taking a look at his book list so many of his titles have UK illustrators and UK publishers. Here is an audio interview with Living Arts Canberra. Here is a sixteen minute video of the author reading his book. 

I arrived in Western Australia in 1988 (more than twenty-five years later than I’d intended) having migrated with my wife and my sons Sam and Jo, under the special category of artists and sports people of international reputation, and we have been Australian citizens since 1990.

When my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything asked if we were sent any books by Nigel Gray for CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) judging I was puzzled because I didn't think he was Australian.

Look at this list of illustrators:

• Jane Ray
• Philippe Dupasquier
• Michael Foreman
• Helen Craig

Bethan Welby who illustrated Phyllis and Grace lives in Devon, UK.

But then we have BIG Australian names such as:

• Bob Graham
• Elise Hurst
• Craig Smith
• Gregory Rogers
• Andrew McLean
• Anna Pignatoro

The Forgettery by Rachel Ip illustrated by Laura Hughes

"Granny's Forgettery was huge because she was very forgetful. She smiled as her memories washed around her. Moments of delight, lost and forgotten, fluttering in the room like butterflies. Paper thin and delicate."

I love the affirmation in this book that everyone forgets things, that everyone can have difficulty remembering - not just older people. In this story, though, memories are not lost. They are safely kept in the Forgettery. 

After Granny and Amelia discover the delights of the Forgettery, Amelia has a splendid idea. She will make a memory book filled with photos, drawings, and one more essential ingredient - love.

When you pick up this book take some time to explore the title page where you can see Granny has been sticking up post-it notes to help with her memory loss. This page almost made me cry and the story hadn't even begun. 

It is a picture book about life and love and the relationship each and every one of us has with our memories. We all forget things, from being a baby to where we put our keys or the time – the list could go on! Picture Book Perfect 123

The Forgettery won the 2022 English 4-11 Picture Book Award. You can see other books illustrated by Laura Hughes on her web site. Here is an interview with Rachel about her book. 

You will want to pair this book with:

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

If all the World were AND Dance like a Leaf

The Long Way Home