Families who loved Remember the Red-shouldered Hawk by Doris Buchanan Smith often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent would reach for this book when their child is beginning to notice a grandparent's personality shifting due to dementia or Alzheimer's. The story follows twelve-year-old John-too as he navigates the confusing and often painful reality of his grandmother moving in and slowly losing her grip on her memories and identity. It is a deeply empathetic look at the frustration, grief, and love that coexist when a family member becomes a stranger. Written for children ages 9 to 12, this realistic novel provides a safe space to process the 'long goodbye' of memory loss. Parents will appreciate how it validates a child's desire to fix the situation while gently teaching that some things must simply be accepted with kindness and patience.
