A Day with Parkinson's, written by A. Hultquist, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Esme B.
Summary: In this book, a young boy is coming to terms with his grandfather’s Parkinson’s diagnosis. Noah wakes up and is going to the beach with his grandfather. He is excited but he is also worried about his grandfather. He has noticed many changes in his grandfather like shaking and struggling to walk properly, along with other symptoms. Noah is worried about how he can help his grandfather, and they have a long talk about Parkinson’s, what it is, and how he can help. Noah’s grandfather explains how Parkinson’s occurs from a chemical shift in the brain. He also explains that Noah can’t catch it from him, and that it is helpful to remind him about his medication and help him with walking. At the end of the book, Noah realizes that his grandfather is still the same person and while he has Parkinson’s, it should not change their relationship.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book would be especially helpful to a family who are affected by Parkinson’s and are struggling to explain it to their kids. It is comforting while also informative. The illustrations of Parkinson’s are not jarring, and the book takes place at the beach, which is calming, and the drawings are mainly in pastels and pale or light colors. This book would be useful to have in a school or home library for children to seek out of a loved one is affected by Parkinson’s and they are struggling to come to terms. This would be a good independent reading choice or something to read to a child who is struggling to understand Parkinson’s. It would also be helpful to have an adult around to clarify questions. A much needed book for school libraries. Also, it would be a good one for school counselors to be aware of.