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Reviewed by Susan van der Walt for Readers' Favorite
Many people know about Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, but few have ever heard of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). In Grandpa and Lewy: A Story of Hope and Empowerment for Children Touched by Lewy Body Dementia, Jennifer Randazzo explains the twofold nature of this disease called Lewy in the story. Firstly, the cognitive decline is similar to Alzheimer's, and the impaired motor symptoms are similar to Parkinson's. She explains the symptoms in simple language that young children can understand and the confusion created when the symptoms alternate between the cognitive and the physical. The author aims to raise awareness about this lesser-known disease and its devasting effects on patients and their families.
A disease like Lewy's is challenging because of the cognitive decline and the patient's loss of identity. Small children can struggle to understand why a grandparent they love suddenly doesn't remember them or can't play with them like before. In Grandpa and Lewy, Jennifer Randazzo uses the typical interactions between a grandfather and his grandchildren to illustrate in a practical way how Lewy symptoms can appear. The most important message is that the grandparent will always love them and that they should treasure those moments of normalcy between the periods of strangeness. I love the rhyme-like quality of the narrative and the simple line sketches. The book is a great way to talk to children about Lewy and other age-related diseases that can affect the elderly. But even more, how important the support of family and friends is for the patient and for other family members. And in the end, children will know that love is stronger than any disease, and the love they feel for a grandparent will live in their hearts forever.
