Review of Green Kitty by Alexandra Faer Bryan

Alexandra Faer Bryan describes herself as a  mother, nurse and author who loves to read, she began writing in 1985 and has written three books to date: An instructional manual for a massage class, a nonfiction account of her nursing experiences, and Green Kitty which is a children’s book.

Cleverly written, Green Kitty is a series of stories within a story which revolves around the touching relationship between a young girl and her grandmother.  Grandma has been placed in a residential home due to her dementia and the author deals with the issue so sensitively that at times it is heart breaking and yet uplifting at the same time.   I was hooked from the opening paragraph which I found compelling and powerful as I can imagine that having a beloved grandparent placed into residential care would raise all sorts of questions for a young child and is a situation that families the world over are having to deal with on a daily basis. Each chapter involves a different visit to grandma and as such is neatly broken down and sign posted so that young readers know what to expect.   The use of repetition is also great for consolidating the information learned.

Grandmas dementia is extremely well presented, the author clearly has a lot of experience in subject.  I love the way Grandma’s mind is stretched and worked with the story telling and the fact that routine is important for those suffering with dementia is also highlighted.  Grandma’s stories are funny and amusing, indeed I found myself chuckling at the story of the male cat that hadn’t been neutered because I have refused point blank to have our dog castrated in spite of everyone repeatedly telling me that I should…A multitude of educational aspects are adeptly woven into the story, for example we learn how to identify whether or not a snake is poisonous and this is done in such a way that youngsters wouldn’t even realise that they were learning.   We also learn about fables and what they are and this is showcased through Aesops (Ancient Greek) which I am familiar with from my own childhood and also the fables of the Cherokee, an American tribe which up until this point I have never studied and the author highlights the similarities between the two whilst also pointing out the differences.

I have tried (as I always do) to find some fault with this book.  On this occasion however I cannot find a single bone to pick with it and would recommend it without hesitation to parents everywhere.

http://www.greenkittybook.com/