My New Granny

August 20, 2012
Roher's illustrations soften the difficult moments of Steinkellner's story, first published in Austria, in which a beloved grandmother goes from cooking "exotic dishes" and criticizing her granddaughter's expressive hairdos to needing constant supervision as a dementia patient in her daughter's home. Though Roher limits himself to a sepia palette, he imagines a complex life for the family, drawing spaces full of keepsakes and clutter. Fini takes Granny's strange new behaviors in stride, remaining unruffled when she falls asleep under the table ("We agreed that we would all help out," reproaches Fini's mother when Fini protests that she had only briefly left Granny alone). And Fini stays patient when Granny can no longer feed herself ("the spoon doesn't want to go into her mouth") or has to have her hair combed ("That can be my job," she says). Fini has some realistic moments of frustration, tooâdementia is hard even for adults to cope with. The portrait of Granny and her loving household serves as a memorial to all such grandparents and their families. Ages 4â8.

October 1, 2012

K-Gr 2-Fini's grandmother extraordinaire is a well-traveled, exceptional cook of exotic dishes, who takes her to outings in the park. To Fini's young eyes, her granny became entirely different after a trip to the hospital. This granny can no longer live on her own, let alone travel. She also behaves oddly, eating breadcrumbs meant to feed the ducks and using the stove to warm her hands. Originally published in Austria, the story gives a gentle introduction to children about the effects of dementia on their loved ones and their family life. The sepia pages and illustrations allude to fading but still precious memories, while whimsical elements like friendly mice integrated into each scene keep the tone light. While stopping short of showing the truly heartbreaking aspects of the disease, the book as a whole effectively captures a child's coping process from sadness and misunderstanding to patience and acceptance. The lesson-that while granny has changed, love remains the same-rings true.-Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.