As the Baby Boomer population ages, dementia is on the rise. It is estimated that 1 in 10 adults over the age of 65 have some form of dementia. This debilitating disease affects not only the person, but the extended family as well. How do parents explain to their children that the grandma or grandpa they love no longer knows their name? Children are sad and confused when the relationship they enjoyed is no longer there. Parents need resources to help children understand why things are different.

I Love You to the Stars handles a difficult topic in a positive way:

The story begins when Grandma and her dog, Sunny, move in with a young boy and his mother. The boy and his grandma spend hours doing puzzles, reading books, and going to the park. One day, when the boy returns home from school, Grandma is in the driveway with a police officer. She and Sunny went for a walk and got lost. Things continue to worsen when she misplaces items in the house and when she no longer engages in activities with her grandson. The mother explains to her son that Grandma’s mind is sick and now it’s their turn to help her. When they can no longer care for her, she moves to a home where caregivers can help with her daily needs. The boy, his mom, and Sunny visit her often and enjoy spending time with her again, doing all the things she loves to do. The message through the story is that even though memories may fade, love will always last.

The story behind the story:

A professor from Denver Seminary lost his brilliant wife to dementia in her early 60s. He wrote about his painful journey in a memoir but wanted to reach children as well. He contacted me and shared his story, which was the inspiration for this book. It’s considered fiction, but many of the events actually happened. We sent a picture of Sunny to the illustrator and his portrayal of Sunny is perfect, adding a bit of warmth and humor to the story. Our hope is that parents can use this book as a resource to help children better understand this disease that affects so many families.  

The multi-award-winning book, I Love You to the Stars—When Grandma Forgets, Love Remembers was published by Kregel Publishing and released September 2020. It is available at local bookstores as well as online:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Stars-Grandma-Remembers/dp/0825446473/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=I%20Love%20you%20to%20to%20the%20stars&qid=1600779455&sr=8-3&fbclid=IwAR1SWSAAYsSPr8QHM8NrPbgI7lAAn-M5JD4Gc1Rs9Trt5xSkxvM0v97ATuk
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-love-you-to-the-stars-crystal-bowman/1136630898?ean=9780825446474
Christian Book Distributors https://www.christianbook.com/love-stars-when-grandma-forgets-remembers/crystal-bowman/9780825446474/pd/5446474?product_redirect=1&search_term=I%20love%20you%20to%20the%20stars&Ntt=5446474&item_code=&ps_exit=PRODUCT&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

May your best memories last forever!

Crystal

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