Product Description
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 engaging 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
Review
"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
"Smetana's vocabulary and descriptions seem true to a kid's experience, and the evenhanded story, which never denies emotions like sadness and frustration, is grounded in kindness... The soft-edged, watercolor illustrations by de Moraes feature images of comfort and community; even in the difficult moments, there's a sense of love in the scenes. While discussions about illness and death are always challenging, the author's approach broaches the topics with care and sympathy. A moving, effective resource for conversations in the face of dementia and loss." — Kirkus Reviews
"As a child therapist and parent, I am grateful for this important resource. Through a beautiful story, Ice Cream with Grandpa acknowledges and validates a young child's experience of witnessing a beloved grandparent change through aging, dementia, and dying, and it supports and provides space for all of the emotions within the process. I appreciate the way the book also honors and celebrates that in the midst of all of the changes, the connection between the child and grandparent endures, artfully balancing grief and resiliency in a developmentally accessible way. The guide at the back complements and enriches the book by providing tools for parents to support children through grief, loss, and change." — Stacey Patterson, LCPC, MT-BC, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Music Therapist
"This book will provide other families and children guidance during their journey of understanding the disease process and how to 'enter into their world.' We can't change the trajectory of dementia, but we can support all loved ones, patients, and families on their journey, even if it is as simple as sharing a love for ice cream. Beautifully written, with amazing illustrations. The added guide on how to talk to children is such a wonderful resource...for adults too!" — Coni Nielson, APN, ACHPN, Advanced Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse
About the Author
Laura Smetana has fond memories of enjoying ice cream with her son and his grandpa, Laura's dad. Ice Cream
