Happy Grandparents Day: THE MEMORY JAR Plus DOUBLE GIVEAWAY

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Hello dear friends! There are so many special days on the calendar – but GRANDPARENT’S DAY is a favorite of mine – partly because I am a grandmother…and partly because I have such fond memories of my Grandmother Tina, my mother’s mother – my family lived with her from the time I was 10-years-old – it was amazing to always have her loving presence close by.

I was thrilled when one of my kidlit friends, Debra Daugherty, told me she had a brand-new book that launched in April – I read it and wanted to share it right away but my blog calendar was packed – so, we decided that Grandparents’ Day would be a perfect time to shout out about THE MEMORY JAR.

Written by Debra Daugherty – Illustrated by Victoria Marble – Published by Young Dragons Press

I love the child agency in this story! When her grandmother begins to forget things and sometimes doesn’t even remember her name, a young girl comes up with a wonderful idea. She writes down all the stories her grandmother had told her about family memories. She folds each piece of paper and puts it in a jar. And then, when she goes to visit her grandmother, she gives her the jar as a present and her grandmother pulls out one paper and reads it and it sparks a happy memory.
What a great activity for kids to do with grandparents and parents – even if there are no problems – but it’s especially helpful if someone in the family suffers from Alzheimer’s or other dementia related diseases. The time to capture these stories is when the person they happened to can still tell them – there are many family stories that I only know part of.

Debra stopped by to share her inspiration for this book:
DEBRA: The inspiration for my story was my Aunt Luella, who had Alzheimer’s. When I sat down to write, I thought of my aunt, and the words flowed. I know she’d be happy and pleased that she inspired this book.

Remember, dear friends, the best way to help an author and illustrator is to:
Buy their books
Review their books
Tell friends about their books (please share this post on social media)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

And the lovely Debra is generously offering a DOUBLE GIVEAWAY! There will be TWO WINNERS. One person will receive a signed paperback copy of THE MEMORY JAR (U.S. addresses only please). And another winner will receive a PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE! When you leave your comment, please let us know which you would prefer if you are one of the lucky winners!

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

44 thoughts on “Happy Grandparents Day: THE MEMORY JAR Plus DOUBLE GIVEAWAY”

  2. Hi Debra! Thank you for writing such a beautiful story about Alzheimer’s, memories and the loving relationship between Grandma and her granddaughter. I hope it does spark families to capture these treasured stories. We have only one video of my dad being interviewed by one of my brother’s stepdaughters for a high school paper. Oh how I wished we had captured more. He had an endless supply of stories and he was such a great storyteller. Thank you again for this book!

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  3. What an amazing premise for a story! I think I’m going to start my own memory jar. A nice thing to share with my children when I no longer remember my own stories (I’m already forgetting).
    Congratulations on this beautiful book!

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  5. I love the concept of this book, it is such a tragedy to lose our memories. What a beautiful gentle and heartfelt way to help the people suffering with Alzheimers. This would even work with the elderly who can also forget. Thank you for writing such a great book for the young to help them understand.

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  6. I enjoy reading grandchild/grandparent relationship picture books because I never experienced this for myself. I think this idea is a wonderful way for children to get to know their grandparents and develop a deeper relationship. My daughter recorded an interview with her grandparents about life when they were growing up and I hope she treasures these memories always. I would love a copy of this heartwarming book.

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  10. Oh my, what a brilliant idea for a PB and for real life! How I miss my dad’s stories. I should write down the ones I remember and share them with my daughter and niece. ❤ (I would love a critique)

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  12. Congratulations, Debra! I enjoyed reading about your inspiration for The Memory Jar. Many families will relate. I would appreciate a critique if I’m a winner. All the best.

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  14. Debra, what a fascinating take on such an important topic. I was just chatting with a son-in-law with concerns about his mother’s memory lapses. If/when he & my daughter have children, I know just the book to gift them! If I should win the giveaway, I’ll be happy with either prize!

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  15. Absolutely love the idea of a memory jar! My brother and I always talked about interviewing our parents, but never did. However, my mom did write down six pages worth of her memories from childhood. And my daughter recently gave me a book to fill in, as a gift to my grandchildren. Now I just need to get busy! I’d adore receiving a copy of your book if chosen.

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  17. I love the idea of a memory jar. The stories our senior family members have to share are so important to capture. There are always questions one wishes could be asked and answered after a loved one passes. This is the perfect book to inspire those conversations to happen, Debra! I’d love to win a copy!

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  20. I read your debut Tuesday interview with Susanna Leonard Hill and I’m happy to see your book again as Grandparents Day idea. Congratulations Debra on this beautiful book. No need for a prize for me, just saying hi and that your story touched my heart.

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