Sneak Preview: Grandfather's Story Cloth

I am so pleased with our upcoming book (available in May 2008), Grandfather's Story Cloth by Linda Gerdner and illustrated by Stuart Loughridge. I just sent it off to the printer last week, after months and months of work, but it has turned out even better than I had imagined it would be. I can't wait for the world to see this wonderful book about a Hmong boy and his grandfather, who has Alzheimer's disease. Oh, just read the blurb for yourself:

Chersheng's grandfather is beginning to forget things: little things like turning off the water faucet and big things like Chersheng's name. Sometimes he even forgets that he is in America now. Chersheng feels sad and helpless when he learns that Grandfather has Alzheimer's Disease, but then Chersheng's mother presents him with a story cloth stitched by Grandfather himself, embroidered in the Hmong tradition.

Through the story cloth, Grandfather's memories of his life in Laos come alive. And inspired by Grandfather's tales about his life before the war forced him to immigrate to America, Chersheng comes up with a plan to capture his family's new life with his own art project. This way, they can all remember that their love is stronger than Alzheimer’s Disease, no matter which country they live in.

Linda Gerdner's heartwarming story addresses the increasing number of children who live with elderly grandparents with dementia. This volume, presented bilingually in English and Hmong, allows children and their loved ones not only to gain a compassionate understanding of Alzheimer's Disease, but also to share in the simplest act of pleasure and love -- that of reading together.

Maybe if I can figure out how, I'll post a few pages from the interior. Ah, technology. We'll see what I can do.