The Remembering Balloons

The book, <i>The Remembering Balloons</i> by Jessie Oliveros, was recently donated to our collection by The Friends of the New Glarus Public Library in memory of Ken Brunner and Daryl Murken. This picture book, published in 2018, was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award by the American Library Association for its excellence in portraying dementia and its effects on families.
<i>The Remembering Balloons </i>gently and lovingly teaches children about dementia and aging using the metaphor of balloons. In the story, balloons represent the memories we collect throughout our lives, which we share with one another. Sometimes, however, balloons are lost as people grow older and develop dementia. The author addresses the frustration, anger, and sadness that can come with these losses, but also offers children a new way to look at what they are experiencing. It teaches kids that they can hold onto those lost balloons and continue to share them with loved ones.
Both Ken and Daryl lived with forms of dementia and passed away recently. And both have wives actively involved with The Friends of the Library.
^There are many illnesses that fall under the umbrella of dementia