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

Ollie and the wind by Ronojoy Ghosh

Oddly my first question about Ollie and the wind (short listed for the 2016 CBCA awards) was who is Ronojoy Ghosh and is Ollie and the wind his first book?  Yes it is. Ronojoy has been working in advertising.  How amazing to have your very first book reach the short list.  Ronojoy has now written his second book - No place like home which you can also find in our school library.

One aspect of this book that appeals to me is the way Ollie is a problem solver.  The wind takes his hat and scarf - how can Ollie get his things back.

"That night as Ollie lay in bed, he thought about why the wind didn't want to play with his toys. Then he had an idea."

I have not yet shared this book with our Kindergarten children but I do think they will laugh as Ollie attempts to catch the wind with a net and an empty can.  I can also see there will be a lot to discuss when the wind rejects Ollie's ball and precious fire truck.

The idea of flying kites at night is also an appealing one especially under a full moon.

Here are some very detailed teaching notes for Ollie and the Wind

After reading this book you could explore some of these books about the wind.  I would also recommend looking at some of our wonderful stories about kites especially The Sea Breeze hotel which is also a story about problem solving.  We will also read Blown Away and Stuck by Oliver Jeffers as books to compare with Ollie and the Wind.