Title: Meatballs for Grandpa
Author: Jeanette Fazzari Jones
Major Themes: Alzheimer’s, Food, Grandparents, Family, Italians
Synopsis: A little girl helps her grandparents make meatballs, hoping to connect to her grandfather who can’t remember her anymore.
When I see a picture book with a cover picture like Meatballs for Grandpa, I want to read it to my children. A few days ago, we did just that, and my little girls loved this story. The main character is a little girl, which of course makes it appealing to them, and the description of the food is delightful, too.
Publisher’s description:
For Felicia, the days spent making meatballs for Grandpa are some of the best ever! Grandpa no longer remembers much, but he loves to help cook. Grandma and Felicia know just what to do so that they’ll get the perfect sizzle, tang, and magic in their mouths. But Felicia also knows that cooking together makes more than a meal―sometimes it even helps Grandpa remember. Together they get their hands dirty and make the savory meal of spaghetti and meatballs in the family’s Italian tradition. And then, they mangia!
Woven with vibrant sounds, smells, and flavors, this is a heartwarming story about food, family, and heritage. A glossary of Italian words and a recipe for tomato sauce and meatballs is included.
My thoughts:
I loved Meatballs for Grandpa! The premise of the story is that Grandpa suffers from Alzheimer’s, although that is not stated explicitly, and Felicia wonders if he has any idea who she is. They connect over making and eating delicious food together. I liked the Italian words sprinkled throughout the story, and the descriptive words that make the food come to life. The love in the family is the best part of the book, though, and all the children who listened to me read this book had questions about Alzheimer’s after we read it—great conversation starter! All of us liked this story, and I would love to have it on the shelf. The recipe included at the end looks delicious, too!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
No warnings!
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 3 – 4, 5 – 8
Reading Independently—Ages 7 – 9, 8 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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