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Forget Me Not
Young readers are given an emotionally powerful yet accessible introduction to what it is like having a close family member with Alzheimer’s disease in this deeply resonant story about the relationship between a girl and her grandmother.
Grandma’s whole family is concerned as they start to notice that she is becoming more and more forgetful. After they find her wandering the neighborhood, they need to make an important decision on her behalf—that the time has come for her to move out of her house and into an assisted living community where she can have the best care possible.
Grandma’s whole family is concerned as they start to notice that she is becoming more and more forgetful. After they find her wandering the neighborhood, they need to make an important decision on her behalf—that the time has come for her to move out of her house and into an assisted living community where she can have the best care possible.
40 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Van Laan
41 books20 followersNancy Van Laan was born in Baton Rouge, La. Her father was a colonel in the US Air Force, and the family moved frequently as Van Laan was growing up. She began making up stories to pass the time on long car trips. Although Van Laan had a learning disability, she loved to read. She began drawing and writing poetry as a child and enjoyed illustrating her own stories. Van Laan also loved ballet and began taking lessons at the age of nine. By age seventeen, she had her own ballet company in Birmingham that performed on a weekly program broadcast on Alabama Educational TV (now Alabama Public Television). Van Laan’s dancing career ended after an injury she sustained as a student at Sullins College in Bristol, Va. After completing her AA degree at Sullins, she enrolled at the University of Alabama, earning her BA in radio and television in 1961.
Van Laan moved to New York after college. She worked briefly at an advertising company and then joined ABC-TV where she worked as a network censor from 1962 to 1966. Van Laan began writing at this time and also studied art. After her first two children were born, she resigned from ABC and began painting professionally, creating murals for schools and private clients. She earned an MFA in theater from Rutgers University in 1979 and wrote two plays which were performed regionally. Van Laan moved to eastern Pennsylvania where she taught English at a private boarding school from 1984 to 1989. She also taught creative writing at Rutgers from 1986 to 1989. Van Laan published her first book, The Big Fat Worm, in 1987. Two years later, she left teaching to write full time. Since then, Van Laan has published over two dozen books. One of these, Rainbow Crow, was featured on the PBS television series Reading Rainbow. Van Laan lives and writes in Doylestown, Pa.
Van Laan moved to New York after college. She worked briefly at an advertising company and then joined ABC-TV where she worked as a network censor from 1962 to 1966. Van Laan began writing at this time and also studied art. After her first two children were born, she resigned from ABC and began painting professionally, creating murals for schools and private clients. She earned an MFA in theater from Rutgers University in 1979 and wrote two plays which were performed regionally. Van Laan moved to eastern Pennsylvania where she taught English at a private boarding school from 1984 to 1989. She also taught creative writing at Rutgers from 1986 to 1989. Van Laan published her first book, The Big Fat Worm, in 1987. Two years later, she left teaching to write full time. Since then, Van Laan has published over two dozen books. One of these, Rainbow Crow, was featured on the PBS television series Reading Rainbow. Van Laan lives and writes in Doylestown, Pa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
December 18, 2019
I love this book, and I cry over this book. It captures the sadness of losing a loved one to Alzheimer's.
August 18, 2014
This look at the impact of Alzheimer’s is personal and touching. Told in the first person, the book looks at the changes of Julia’s grandmother. Her grandmother used to make favorite foods, have her house just so, and even smelled of cinnamon and lilac when they cuddled. But as time passed, her grandmother started forgetting more and more. She made mistakes and even started to forget who her family members were. A little later and Julia’s grandmother started to forget what they had done together in the past, she wasn’t allowed to drive anymore, and her cooking wasn’t the same. She got worse and worse until she had to be given special care in a home. Julia and her family have to make the best of it, and that means that Julia has to find a way to continue to connect with her grandmother even though she can’t remember her.
Van Laan uses a delicacy of language her to weave her story. Since the entire book is about loss of memory and the loss of a grandparent to Alzheimer’s, this delicacy sets a lovely tone for the book. As the changes start to happen, Van Laan describes them: “But ever so slowly, like a low tide leaving the bay, a change came along.” Filled with constant change, the book captures moments along the way, showing how Julia’s grandmother is worsening but also how they continue to keep her spirit alive and well during the changes.
Graegin’s illustrations show the changes in the grandmother but also maintain a sweetness that never leaves the story. Despite the grandmother’s decline, the light remains bright in the illustrations and the family stays close knit in a visual way.
There are many books about Alzheimer’s available now, but this one takes just the right tone and gives information that young children are looking for. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Van Laan uses a delicacy of language her to weave her story. Since the entire book is about loss of memory and the loss of a grandparent to Alzheimer’s, this delicacy sets a lovely tone for the book. As the changes start to happen, Van Laan describes them: “But ever so slowly, like a low tide leaving the bay, a change came along.” Filled with constant change, the book captures moments along the way, showing how Julia’s grandmother is worsening but also how they continue to keep her spirit alive and well during the changes.
Graegin’s illustrations show the changes in the grandmother but also maintain a sweetness that never leaves the story. Despite the grandmother’s decline, the light remains bright in the illustrations and the family stays close knit in a visual way.
There are many books about Alzheimer’s available now, but this one takes just the right tone and gives information that young children are looking for. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
May 16, 2014
FORGET ME NOT is a touching story about a young girl, Julia, and her feelings about her grandma's onset of dementia. To start, Julia recalls when her grandma began mixing up names and forgetting small details. As her grandma's dementia worsens, the situations Julia relates intensify as well. Her grandma forgets where she is while at the supermarket, she is found outside in the snow in only her nightgown, digging for forget-me-nots, and, eventually, can no longer remember her family. When Julia's family makes the difficult decision to move Grandma to a home, Julia mourns the change, but soon realizes that Grandma is happier in her new, safe environment. Julia misses the old grandma, when she was her old sweet self, but she still loves her and greets her with a big hug each time she visits Grandma... Even if Grandma can't remember, Julia will never forget.
February 5, 2026
A very touching, somewhat sad story about a little girl and her grandmother and her forgetful mind.
March 2, 2024
I'm currently taking a course on dementia and palliative care and was curious to see if there were any children's books about the disease. I think this short little book really captures the devastating effects dementia has on the individual and their families. I think books about the illness written from a child's perspective are very important and can help children understand what's going on with their loved one suffering from dementia.
January 2, 2015
Forget Me Not is a quiet, compelling picture book that shows how Alzheimer's disease impacts an entire family. It shows a young girl's perspective as her grandmother slowly loses her memory. I found the story's depiction of the disease to be both heart-breaking and uplifting, as the young girl refuses to give up hope in her grandmother. This text will be a great resource for educators and parents.
May 31, 2016
Gorgeous, thoughtful, sensitive book about a little girl's experience as her grandmother develops dementia and slowly loses her memories. Examples are very true to my experience with the progression of Alzheimer's.
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May 26, 2021Sweet story about granddaughter and grandma. Illustrations gentle and colorful. Progression of memory loss--points out cooking mishaps, name memory slips, shared activity memory slips, getting lost, inability to drive, repeating phrases and saddest is when family is not noticed when they arrive to visit. From my 10 year old's perspective, one of the hardest things to deal with is the idea of moving away from the home. Here the author/illustrator depicts the new nursing home as bright and cheery and a place to read lots of books in light filled room. Maybe a bit too optimistic. All in all, this is one of the books I'll add to my collection for our family.
July 2, 2019
The symbolism of the forget-me-not flowers is beautifully expressed in the beginning, middle, and end of the book. Gradually making their significance aware as the book progresses. As Julia's grandmother ages she slowly begins to forget things, little by little until she doesn't remember anything or anyone anymore. Once her grandmother become so ill that she has a chance of hurting herself, she is moved into a retirement home. Julia refuses to give up on her grandmother's memory returning, she plans to pick all the forget-me-not flowers, enough to "fill the quilt on her bed."
December 7, 2017
Julia cherishes her sweet grandmother. She recalls the best memories she has with her grandmother, but Julia and her family grow worried when her grandmother becomes increasingly forgetful. In this moving book, Nancy Van Laan describes the unfortunate Alzheimer's disease and it's affects on a loving family. This book is powerful and helpful. I believe this book is best suited for a home setting instead of a school, but it will reach anyone's heart that reads it.
February 21, 2019
Forget Me Not is a book that deals with difficult challenges- change, grief, and loss. It follows the grandmother as dementia sets in and how it affects her along with other members of the family. It’s beautifully written and brought me to tears, as my grandmother went through the same process while I was very young. I think this book could be very helpful for families dealing with a similar situation.
December 7, 2018
If you have had anyone struggle with Alzheimer’s in your family, this book is a must. It is so sweet and explains this difficult disease to children in such a beautiful way. This could also work for helping children understand aging and death in a way that is not too heavy. The illustrations add sweetness to this important story.
August 3, 2020
This is a sweet and sad story told by a little girl whose much loved grandmother has dementia, probably Alzheimer's. She no longer remembers who her granddaughter is or the fun they had had together. The family eventually has to move her to a care home where she is safe and content. Lovely illustrations. This is a hard topic but a very important one.
April 19, 2021
This is very well written. It covers the mental decline of a grandma with Alzheimer's Disease. And it shows the perspective of her granddaughter. This was very good for helping to explain to my 6-year-old about her grandma's condition.
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May 13, 2022Whew.. I haven't read a book that so clearly addresses the topic of memory loss (alludes to Alzheimer's), and especially not from the eyes of a child. This is an extremely difficult part of many lives, and I think this could be a useful tool in navigating those conversations.
September 26, 2018
After losing my grandma to Alzheimer's when I was 13, this book definitely hit me right in the feels.
July 24, 2014
Richie’s Picks: FORGET ME NOT by Nancy Van Laan and Stephanie Graegin, ill, Random House/Schwartz and Wade, August 2014, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-449-81543-4
“Ever so slowly, like a low tide leaving the bay, a change came along. Grandma was becoming more and more forgetful.”
Julia, the narrator of FORGET ME NOT, has a young lifetime of memories of her grandmother--those times before her grandmother began forgetting everyone’s names, forgetting to open the garage door when backing out the car, leaving her eyeglasses in the refrigerator, and forgetting all of the memorable adventures that she and Julia have had together.
“One awful snowy morning, Mrs. Hester found her in the garden wearing nothing but her nightie. She said Grandma was trying to pick forget-me-nots from underneath the snow, where they lay all crumpled and brown. Grandma seemed not to notice the cold.
“When Mama and I got there, she didn’t seem to notice us, either.
“So I asked, ‘Mama, what’s wrong with Grandma?’
“She didn’t say anything, just shook her head.
“I asked again. ‘Mama, please?’
“Finally she answered.
“‘You know how some old people have trouble seeing or hearing? Well, some have trouble remembering--like Grandma. It’s a sickness that nobody knows how to cure yet.’
“Mama drew me close, comforting like always. I clung to her like a twist of ivy and held tight.”
In FORGET ME NOT, a noteworthy picture book about Alzheimer’s disease that will work quite well with preschoolers and elementary students, those mishaps caused by her grandmother’s growing problem result in Julia’s parents decision to move Julia’s grandmother out of her house--a house that holds such memories for Julia--and into an assisted-living facility.
Stephanie Graegin is an illustrator to watch. Through her digitally-colored pencil and ink washes, she creates believable, likeable characters and a comfortable visual setting for a tale that will undoubtedly bring worry to some young audiences.
Alzheimer’s disease is a topic that is pretty scary for all of us. It is estimated that slightly more than one-percent of the world’s population will be affected by Alzheimer’s by mid-century. In terms of reassuring young audiences, this is both good and bad news: We can honestly say that the chances a child’s parents or grandparents will be affected are relatively small. And yet we must also say that every child will likely come to know a couple of people who develop it.
That reality makes this an important book. Better yet, this is also an engaging, thought-provoking, and excellently-illustrated picture book story about a child and her beloved grandparent.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/richie.parti...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
“Ever so slowly, like a low tide leaving the bay, a change came along. Grandma was becoming more and more forgetful.”
Julia, the narrator of FORGET ME NOT, has a young lifetime of memories of her grandmother--those times before her grandmother began forgetting everyone’s names, forgetting to open the garage door when backing out the car, leaving her eyeglasses in the refrigerator, and forgetting all of the memorable adventures that she and Julia have had together.
“One awful snowy morning, Mrs. Hester found her in the garden wearing nothing but her nightie. She said Grandma was trying to pick forget-me-nots from underneath the snow, where they lay all crumpled and brown. Grandma seemed not to notice the cold.
“When Mama and I got there, she didn’t seem to notice us, either.
“So I asked, ‘Mama, what’s wrong with Grandma?’
“She didn’t say anything, just shook her head.
“I asked again. ‘Mama, please?’
“Finally she answered.
“‘You know how some old people have trouble seeing or hearing? Well, some have trouble remembering--like Grandma. It’s a sickness that nobody knows how to cure yet.’
“Mama drew me close, comforting like always. I clung to her like a twist of ivy and held tight.”
In FORGET ME NOT, a noteworthy picture book about Alzheimer’s disease that will work quite well with preschoolers and elementary students, those mishaps caused by her grandmother’s growing problem result in Julia’s parents decision to move Julia’s grandmother out of her house--a house that holds such memories for Julia--and into an assisted-living facility.
Stephanie Graegin is an illustrator to watch. Through her digitally-colored pencil and ink washes, she creates believable, likeable characters and a comfortable visual setting for a tale that will undoubtedly bring worry to some young audiences.
Alzheimer’s disease is a topic that is pretty scary for all of us. It is estimated that slightly more than one-percent of the world’s population will be affected by Alzheimer’s by mid-century. In terms of reassuring young audiences, this is both good and bad news: We can honestly say that the chances a child’s parents or grandparents will be affected are relatively small. And yet we must also say that every child will likely come to know a couple of people who develop it.
That reality makes this an important book. Better yet, this is also an engaging, thought-provoking, and excellently-illustrated picture book story about a child and her beloved grandparent.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/richie.parti...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
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November 19, 2015 Summary
Julia loves spending time with her grandmother. She notices that her grandmother is starting to forget things, which Julia doesn’t take too seriously, but then it starts getting worse and worse. One day, they find her wandering the neighborhood. Grandmother’s Alzheimer’s has gotten pretty serious. Julia’s parents need to make the decision of moving Julia’s grandmother out of the house and into an assisted living where she would have the best care possible.
Activity
An activity that relates to the book that the kids could do is visit an assisted living or nursing home. While they are there, they can play games with the senior citizens. They could even practice singing a song before going to visit the assisted living or nursing home and perform it for them there. The senior citizens would be thrilled to have them there, since some may not get any visitors. The kids would learn a little bit more about assisted living or nursing homes. Once you are all back in the classroom, you could ask them things about the assisted living or nursing home, and if it was what they had expected.
Citation
Laan, N., & Graegin, S. (2014). Forget me not. Schwartz & Wade Books.
Julia loves spending time with her grandmother. She notices that her grandmother is starting to forget things, which Julia doesn’t take too seriously, but then it starts getting worse and worse. One day, they find her wandering the neighborhood. Grandmother’s Alzheimer’s has gotten pretty serious. Julia’s parents need to make the decision of moving Julia’s grandmother out of the house and into an assisted living where she would have the best care possible.
Activity
An activity that relates to the book that the kids could do is visit an assisted living or nursing home. While they are there, they can play games with the senior citizens. They could even practice singing a song before going to visit the assisted living or nursing home and perform it for them there. The senior citizens would be thrilled to have them there, since some may not get any visitors. The kids would learn a little bit more about assisted living or nursing homes. Once you are all back in the classroom, you could ask them things about the assisted living or nursing home, and if it was what they had expected.
Citation
Laan, N., & Graegin, S. (2014). Forget me not. Schwartz & Wade Books.
January 27, 2015
This is a gut-kicker about Alzheimer’s disease through the eyes of a young girl and her relationship with her slowly-ailing grandmother. Pardon me while I SOB UNCONTROLLABLY. Oh my god. This book is sweet and gentle in its portrayal of a difficult topic, but holy god almighty it does not look away from the hard stuff: grandma kneeling out in the snow, confused, for example. For the love of all things good, only read this if your child is dealing with this trauma, because otherwise it might cause some anxiety. It has a hopeful ending, but not an unrealistic one. Now please excuse me while I cry a little.
October 14, 2014
Alzheimer's is a devastating disease. It deeply affects not only the one physical victim but everyone who loves him or her, delivering a powerful sense of loss. This picture book beautifully depicts the feelings of a young girl who is watching her grandmother lose herself and her grip on reality as the disease takes hold. Very well-written, with lovely illustrations, this belongs in elementary libraries and in the hands of any child who has a grandparent or close family friend affected by this disease.
November 20, 2014
An emotionally powerful yet easy introduction to what it is like having a close family member with Alzheimer’s disease. The story details the relationship between a girl and her grandmother who has Alzheimer's disease. A great resource for children dealing with this topic. I wish I would of had this book when I watched my own grandmother progress with this disease.
The author elegant use of words and the illustrators use of a gray undertones makes this book one of my favorites I have read this year.
The author elegant use of words and the illustrators use of a gray undertones makes this book one of my favorites I have read this year.
November 12, 2014
Julia tells the story of visiting her beloved grandmother and witnessing her slow decline due to dementia. The detailed and delicate illustrations add depth and heart to the story, with the light and changing seasons reflecting Julia’s feelings about Grandma’s failing memory. Ultimately, though Julia knows Grandma isn't going to get better, the book ends on a hopeful note with Julia picking the first forget-me-nots of spring for her grandmother.
September 19, 2014
this is the story of a young girl whose grandma starts forgetting things. Obviously she has dementia or Alzheimer's but it is never specifically stated. Grandma slips more and more until they are forced to put her in a home. It is a touching story about the love between a grandma and granddaughter and one that will touch the hearts of many. I am sure there are lots of kids out there who have a grandparent who is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's and this story will speak to them.
February 2, 2015
I can't say that I "enjoyed" this picture book. It is a sad, touching story about a grandmother facing dementia and her granddaughter trying to understand. I think it would be a nice book to help children understand what is happening to their grandparent, but it isn't one of those that you'll read over and over for enjoyment. I love the little girl's memories of her grandmother and feel her sense of helplessness.
February 27, 2015
Forget Me Not touches the heart. It is a book about a little girl that is close to her grandma but when her grandma is diagnose with Alzheimer's disease her parents have to explain what is happening to grandma. This is a great book for any ages to help explain the effects of Alzheimer's disease. The illustration are filled with warm colors, soft edges and do a great job showing what is being said on the page. There are cute similes throughout this book.
October 6, 2014
A sweet and touching picture book about a young girl watching her grandmother's decline with dementia. While I was older when it began to happen with my own grandmother, I found myself nodding at the familiarity of some of the scenes in the book. I like that the story ends with the girl hoping to find ways to prompt some good memories.
December 3, 2014
Forget Me Not is a wonderful picture book that shows children what it is like living with a family member with Alzheimer. It would be nice if the book went over how to cope, but still I think this is a good book. It is a story that needs to be told. It is a subject not often seen in picture books. This gentle book by Nancy Van Laan is told in first person, from the child's perspective..
May 5, 2015
A touching and personal take on the effects of Alzheimer's on family members. Told in first person, the book follows the changes of Julia's grandmother. From making favorite foods to forgetting where she is. All the while still displaying Julia's unconditional love for her grandmother, even when she doesn't remember her.
July 20, 2016
Lord have mercy, make sure you read this one somewhere private so you can cry. It's a story from the point of view of Julia about her grandmother's progression into dementia/alzheimer's (the story doesn't specify which). The story is both gentle and realistic, and the ending will make your throat tighten and your eyes wet.
August 26, 2014
A poignant story about a granddaughter watching her grandmother's memory gradually deteriorate to the point that she can longer remember her or care for herself. A perceptive and touching story about unconditional love.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews