MY GRANDMA IS A SUPERHERO

As Granny’s memory slips away, will Suzy lose their special relationship?

Suzy and Granny—both light-skinned—have had marvelous times together, pretending to be astronauts, riding toy horses, and, most of all, playing superhero. But Granny is becoming increasingly forgetful; once she even calls Suzy “Lily.” When Granny explains what memory is, Suzy secretly tries to find it before taking a different approach: When Granny doesn’t know where her glasses are, Suzy—and readers—will help find them (a challenge, as they are thin wire frames located on a page with many other objects). When Granny isn’t sure of the way home, Suzy and readers can trace it through a maze from store to house. Putting away the groceries is another task that Suzy and readers must complete—by following long, winding lines connecting items such as carrots and toilet paper with their destinations. But Suzy’s guiding principle is clear: “Now it’s my turn to be just as sweet to Granny as she has always been to me.” Suzy will become Granny’s “sweet superhero helper.” This is a tender and original take on coping with memory loss; spotting a cute black cat on every spread adds to readers’ engagement. Many objects are simply outlined in black, with no color filled in. Varied-width black lines and touches of a darker red punctuate the pastels in the delicate but uncrowded illustrations. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Love motivates acceptance and assistance in this warm, direct, and interactive story.