I Smile For Grandpa

This is a wonderful book and loved the colourful illustrations. It is an ideal book especially for children who have a family member with dementia, My late mother had Alzheimer's and it wasn't always easy to explain to my then young children why their 'Nanna' was no longer doing things they once enjoyed doing with her. Recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy.

So sweet for kiddos who have relationships with their grandfathers. As someone who grew up without grandparents, this one hits close to home and makes me wonder what life would have been like with a relationship with a grandparent.

I loved this book for so many reasons. It deals with dementia, which is hard for adults to comprehend, and yet succeeds in directing this toward children. Many children have to deal with a grandparent, parent, or caregiver who either has or may have dementia. This is tough not only to understand, but to deal with. This book is written so children get a very broad overview of what dementia is and means. However, it also contains questions and answers that kids may ask and answers that parents/readers can give them.
Questions such as: why do you get dementia? why do you forget things? what can I do to help? are included and are a great reference. I would recommend this book for anyone with kids as it serves as a starting ground for helping a child understand what is going on with someone that has dementia.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this DRC.

This is a great way to introduce kids to dementia.
I especially liked the Q&A section at the back of the book to help further open up the discussion and make sure kids have a good grasp on the disease.
The illustrations were a bit "off" for me, might just be me, but they didn't really work.

Although a tough topic to cover, this book does a wonderful job of being "little kid" friendly! My 2 sons are very close to my grandmother and although she only has early onset, they have trouble understanding why she can't always remember. I loved the illustrations as well as the detailed examples of questions children may have about the disease that is good at hiding memories.

Very touching story and age appropriate. Great illustrations. I love the story this book tells, it warms the heart and a wonderful recommendation for families affected by dementia. #netgalley #ismileforgrandpa

I Smile For Grandpa is an important and powerful book that successfully introduces and discusses what it is like to have a family member with dementia in a child-appropriate manner. Our son's friend has a grandparent that has dementia and it has been a tough thing to explain to our six-year-old. This book breaks down in a simplified way, how dementia can change the way someone's brain is able to retrieve thoughts and memories.

I appreciated so much that the book discusses how you may not be able to do the same things that you once did with the family member that has dementia and how this can feel like a loss. There was also great and proactive ways to modify activities in ways that could work for everyone including the family member who has dementia. There was a wonderful emphasis on holding on to the wonderful memories you were able to make together in the past and I thought this was a great way to tie up the book. The questions and answers at the end of the book was a great resource and also a helpful way to continue this conversation with your child.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Really great book to help explain dementia to children. Wonderfully written and beautiful illustrations. Thank you for allowing me to review this beautiful book with toddler.

This is a story of “Little Buddy” and his Grandpa. How things changed when Grandpa became ill with dementia. Being the best friends, Little Buddy had to learn how to keep his friendship with Grandpa and how to cheer him up in life when he doesn't remember most of the stuff they used to do together… The story is educating the kids about dementia in simple words: what it is and how to help a loved one (Grandpa) deal with it and how to still have fun together.

Excellent book for youngsters,explaining the changes that can happen toGrandparents,there are not enough books for children to read about this subject it will be a great addition to any school/class /home library

If you ever have the unfortunate experience of feeling the heartbreak in having a loved one go through dementia, you can't even begin to imagine how difficult it is to explain this condition to a child. This book does a great job in helping to understand this disease through a child's eyes. Great book and great illustrations.

I love children's books that touch your heart and that teach compassion and understanding. This informative book certainly fits into those categories. Little Buddy adores his Grandpa and they hang out together a lot. They play soccer, go on nature walks, play hide and seek and campout in the summer practising their whistling skills. They spend quality time enjoying each other's company immensely and they truly are an inseparable team.

One day Little Buddy's Mommy shares that Grandpa has a disease called Dementia which is a sickness in his brain that hides his thoughts and his memories from him. Little Buddy starts observing those changes first hand when Grandpa doesn't play soccer with him any more, needs an adult chaperone when they take their walks and is unable to go camping with the family anymore. Little Buddy discovers even with these sad changes he and his beloved Grandpa still can have fun, in fact, their times together seem even more special and rich.

The illustrations are expressive, full of emotion and help the young reader to visually understand how Grandpa's behaviour is being plagued by this terrible soul-stealing disease. The author has wisely included 5 tips for speaking with your child about Alzheimers and has incorporated a Q&A segment to help a youngster understand on a deeper level what is happening to their loved one. I really like the fact that a portion of the profits from the sale of the book will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. It is Canada's leading health charity for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Kudos to the book and the contributions to a very worthy cause.

This is a wonderful book to teach young kids about dementia, but it can also help them better understand and interact with grandparents or family friends who have other illnesses. I can see this book being a great resource to my children as I help them understand that their grandfather has cancer and may not be able to do some of the same activities that he used to do with them. The information in the back is also very helpful and a great resource.

"I Smile For Grandpa" is a wonderful book!

While the illustration aspect is not my favorite, it's such a small portion of this book that the text itself helps bring the art to life. This is quite literally the only "downside" in my opinion.

I don't know where to start with this book.

1- The information given before the book even begins about what to do in order to prepare for the reading of this book to your child. How forward-thinking of them and such a great idea. They give tips and specifics as to what to know, how to be prepared, and most importantly, a guidance on how to be emotionally supportive during the book.

2- Anyone that has had a loved one deal with dementia would probably agree this book touched them at a deep level. I was almost in tears reading this. One of my favorite parts was when the child said how good he was at hiding when his grandpa was still not sick. But once he was diagnosed and showing signs, they explained in a fantastic way of how dementia works by saying dementia is also good at hiding. What a brilliant way of helping a child understand.

3- Among the many ways throughout the book where they explain how it works in a way a kid understands completely, they then end the book with a letter to the children with just a little bit more facts and with encouragement to learn more and love deeply.

4- As if all this wasn't amazing enough, they end the book with 10 Q&A to go over with kids to help them learn even better.

So to sum it up, this is a book that can range from very young kids all the way to adults, to be truly honest.

I could not recommend this book anymore. I would gladly go buy one myself and buy for others as well. Considering I have a toddler and we have dementia and Alzheimers on both sides of our family, I will probably be buying this book for my son.

Thank you NetGalley and Flipturn Publishing (Canada) for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got this as a free ebook from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I smile for grandpa is a wonderful book about a young boy whose grandpa gets dementia and how the boy helps his grandpa.
The books starts with a page giving you five tips for talking about dementia with children, and I think that’s a wonderful idea so parents are ready to tackle any eventual questions their child might have while reading the book.
As you read the book you will see the full/page illustrations on every page, and I love them! They’re beautiful and very fitting for the book, and they fit the text as well.
The text is easy to understand, and it’s also easy to follow the story.
While reading children will learn what is happening, or what will happen, and why. They will also be told what they can do as a child and how they can help the person that’s suffering from dementia.
At the end of the book there’s “10 question and answers for kids” that touch some of the more common questions kids might have.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it’s a wonderful tool to help kids understand dementia and help them describe it!
I haven’t heard of other books for kids that focuses on dementia, and I think it’s a wonderful way to help children understand something many adults struggle to understand fully.

Having worked in the medical field I know that this is a difficult topic to explain to young children. This book does a superb job in presenting this disease to a young child.
It even goes above and beyond by putting a question and answer section to help one present this situation to the younger children and to those who may not understand the symptoms of this disease.
This would be an excellent book for school library’s to have. This disease striking younger and younger so the answers need to be available for our children.
Really liked the illustrations.

A far-too-understanding kid plays with his grandpa, who has the beginnings of dementia.
I like that the fact Dad has to come along now on their walks is mentioned. Being without grandpa, for example when camping, is sad, but then the memories make him glad, which seems to be the point.
Lots of extra stuff in the back to talk about with the young reader.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

I received an electronic copy from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley.
Tender and straightforward story told from a child's perspective. His grandfather develops Dementia. The narrator shares about their fun times together before this occurs and how life changes as the Dementia worsens.
Matter of fact style which emphasizes the love and care remain - they just change.
Facts and information provided for adults to help kids cope with the changes illness brings.
Questions and answers for kids at the end of the book.
I highly recommend this book to help explain Dementia and how to accept the changes it will bring.

A good book. Well done to explain dementia to children.
Good illustrations, good story.
And I really loved the questions and answers at the end.

Thank you for letting me read this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I Smile for Grandpa, written by Jaclyn Guenette and Kathryn Harrison, is a sweet story for little children teaching them about dementia. It shows how Little Buddy tries to keep Grandpa happy and smiling while showing Grandpa all his fun stuff to do. Even though Grandpa doesn't always play with Little Buddy, he enjoys watching Little Buddy. It is very educational, colourful and easy to follow.

Thank you.

This is a great book for kids that have grandparents with dementia. It shows that as a kid you can still have fun with your grandparents if they are suffering from dementia. Every child that has a grandparent going through this diseas needs a book like this!

This was a sweet and instructional story about a young kid whose Grandfather is diagnosed with a dementia disease. The kid with the slightly odd 'name' of "Little Buddy" is used to going to all sorts of places and having fun with grandpa, but when his grandfather starts to become forgetful, it changes the relationship and in turn, the kid's life in many ways. Grandpa can't play soccer with him anymore, but he can sit and watch. He can't take "Little Buddy" camping, but they can still go if dad comes along.

Written by Registered Social Worker Jaclyn Guenette and illustrated by Kathryn Harrison, the book's colorful pictures complement the text and tell a warm and considerate story of how, even as things change, they can still remain the same in important ways. I commend this as a worthy read for young children whether or not they have a relative with a similar problem.

Dementia is an incredibly difficult topic but this book is so beautifully crafted that I would highly recommend it to anyone who has to approach such topics with children (whether professionally as a teacher/social worker/therapist or as a parent/carer). The images are beautiful and engaging with a clear narrative alongside the pictures. It is a beautiful book which will be an invaluable aid to any conversations with children and dementia.

This is the story of a young boy who loves his grandfather and is his buddy. As grandpa gets older, he starts to lose his memory. The boy's parents explained dementia to the boy and told him it was nothing to be fearful about. They also told him to let the things go that he has forgotten unless it's something like his name.

BooksGoSocial and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

My grandmother had dementia and she was disabled. I stayed with her when my aunt and her family went on vacation. She saw things from the past, always forgot who I was, and told tales of long ago and far away. One day she was telling me what everyone was getting for Christmas and when I told not to tell me what Jo Ann was getting (I didn't want to know about present early), she asked me: "Don't you like Jo Ann? She's a nice girl." That almost made me cry. Otherwise, we got along fine. I just listened and agreed for the most part. Life changes as people grow older.

The boy in this book used to play soccer with his grandpa and he went on camping trips with them. But as he forgets more things, he can't do those anymore. So the boy plays soccer by himself with his grandfather watching. And he remembers his grandfather whistling while camping and his big smile he'd have for his grandson and that keeps him company when they go camping.

He just reminds his grandpa that he's his buddy and they still whistle and love each other. That's what counts.

This is lovely book and an easy way to explain dementia to a small one. Even if no one in your family has it, you might meet someone in public that does. It will help them not be frightened.

The closeness between grandfather and grandson is sweet and undeniable. This was a great read.

This book really struck a chord with me. I adore children's books that teach compassion and understanding and “I Smile for Grandpa” definitely did that!

Little Buddy adores his Grandpa and they spend a lot of time together. One day Little Buddy's Mum shares that Grandpa has a disease called dementia which means that things will not be the same as they were. Little Buddy realises these changes when Grandpa doesn't play football with him any more. He learns that he and his beloved Grandpa can still have fun and their times together can be even richer and more special.

The illustrations are expressive and full of emotion and help visually, to understand the illness. The author has included tips for speaking about dementia to help a youngster understand on a deeper level of what is happening to their loved one.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the complimentary ARC. This is my honest and totally voluntary opinion.

"Little Buddy" loves his Grandpa and spends lots of time doing their favourite things together. Over time, Grandpa stops playing football, stops going on walks and starts forgetting things. Little Buddy learns what it means to have dementia and learns how he can still enjoy time with his Grandpa, just doing different things to before.

This is a wonderfully accessible introduction to dementia and growing older for a younger reader. Beginning with the things the 2 main characters enjoy doing together, the story then describes how Grandpa has stopped joining in with these same activities. It describes the feelings and emotions that can come for both the dementia sufferer and those around them, and explains what dementia is in a way that can be understood.

The end of the book features some questions and answers which could be used as starting points for a discussion with a child/children or be read by older children independently

This is such a good story of a child trying to learn about his grandpa being sick with dementia and how to deal with it. The illustrations are fantastic. It has a way of making it possible for a child to understand what this means. There are many tips and suggestions for helping a child understand and cope with this. I love that the author did this. I’m thankful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book has a mission and it completes it very well. It sets out to help explain dementia in a way kids can understand. And it uses the story elements to let kids know that things will be okay, even when they seem scary or confusing.