  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 07/01/2018 Young James and his family carry their memories in colorful balloons. James has a few, his parents have more, and Grandpa has the most of all. The boy enjoys asking Grandpa to share his special remembrances, but he also notices that the elder man’s balloons are slowly drifting away. Alarmed, he learns that nothing can be done; however, the balloons James has gained from listening to Grandpa’s recollections now allow him to recount those stories to the older man. Oliveros’ gentle analogy, likening memories to helium-filled balloons, provides a concrete (and somewhat reassuring) framework for explaining memory loss to young children. Wulfekotte’s mixed-media and digital illustrations are rendered mostly as black-and-white sketches, with color (often a single color wash) reserved for the balloons and the memories they hold. Oliveros never sugarcoats the difficulties of dementia, but young listeners are most likely to note this mixed-race family’s gracious understanding of Grandpa’s troubles, as well as the joy they take in retelling his tales. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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