Book Review: It's Grandparent's Day!

​Today I’m reviewing one of the most touching picture books I’ve ever read. I knew it was award-worthy even before it won the 2019 Golden Kite Award for Text and the 2019 Schneider Family Book Award Honor (which is why my copy doesn’t have any fancy stickers on it, since I bought it before the awards were announced). So, in honor of Grandparent’s Day, I present to you:

TITLE: THE REMEMBER BALLOONS

AUTHOR: Jessie Oliveros

ILLUSTRATOR: Dana Wulfekotte

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/2018

​OPENING LINES: 
I have lots and lots of balloons, way more than my little brother.
“This one’s my favorite,” I tell him, pointing to the balloon filled with my last birthday party.
When I look at it, I can see the pony again. I can still taste the chocolate frosting.

​Those first lines draw you right in. You know right away this book is going to be special. Balloons that are filled with memories? So clever! The older you are, the more balloons you have. That means the main character’s grandfather has lots of balloons. And those are filled with stories that the boy thinks are “better than ponies and chocolate frosting.” But when Grandpa starts having problems with his balloons, the boy tries his hardest to catch them, but they always slip away. Jessie Oliveros tackles the difficult topic of memory loss in this touching story and manages to end on an uplifting note. Dana Wulfekotte’s pencil, ink, & gouache illustrations are the perfect complement to the text. I am in love with this book—a must read!
 
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