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The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins
A poignant tale of an elderly nursing home resident who seems to live in a world of memories, from award-winning author Lester L. Laminack.
Although Miss Olivia is unable to respond and doesn't always seem to notice her family, her daughter Angel and grandson Troy know better. They know that Momma Olivia has an inner life filled with beautiful memories.
Anything from a stunning sunset to the mention of her porch swing can remind her of her past, when she was just a little girl out on the farm with her papa or, more recently, at a birthday party shared with her daughter. Although she can no longer do the things she used to do or communicate her thoughts, she's still the Momma Olivia they know and love.
In tender terms children can understand, Lester L. Laminack gives voice to the seldom discussed tragedy of watching a loved one age and slip into the past. Constance R. Bergum's delicate watercolors softly express the love that holds a family together during times of hardship.
Although Miss Olivia is unable to respond and doesn't always seem to notice her family, her daughter Angel and grandson Troy know better. They know that Momma Olivia has an inner life filled with beautiful memories.
Anything from a stunning sunset to the mention of her porch swing can remind her of her past, when she was just a little girl out on the farm with her papa or, more recently, at a birthday party shared with her daughter. Although she can no longer do the things she used to do or communicate her thoughts, she's still the Momma Olivia they know and love.
In tender terms children can understand, Lester L. Laminack gives voice to the seldom discussed tragedy of watching a loved one age and slip into the past. Constance R. Bergum's delicate watercolors softly express the love that holds a family together during times of hardship.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1998
About the author
Lester L. Laminack
40 books44 followersLester L. Laminack is Professor Emeritus from department of Birth-Kindergarten, Elementary and Middle Grades Education, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina where he received two awards for excellence in teaching [the Botner Superior Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award]. Lester is now a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the United States. He is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English and served three years as co-editor of the NCTE journal Primary Voices and as editor of the Children’s Book Review Department of the NCTE journal Language Arts (2003-2006). He also served as a teaching editor for the magazine Teaching K-8 and wrote the Parent Connection column (2000-2002). He is a former member of the Whole Language Umbrella Governing Board, a former member of the Governing Board and Secretary of the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children, and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Expansion of Language and Thinking. He served as the Basic Reading Consultant to Literacy Volunteers of America from 1987 through 2001. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Our Children’s Place [www.ourchildrensplace.com].
His academic publications include several books including Learning with Zachary (Scholastic), Spelling in Use (NCTE), Volunteers Working with Young Readers (NCTE), and his contributions to The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (NCTE), Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature (Heinemann) Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum (Heinemann, Cracking Open the Author’s Craft (Scholastic) and Unwrapping the Read Aloud (Scholastic). In addition he has several articles published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Early Years, Science and Children, Language Arts, Teaching pre-K/8, Primary Voices, and Young Children. Lester is also the author of six children’s books: The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins, Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth, Saturdays and Tea Cakes, Jake’s 100th Day of School, Snow Day! and most recently, Three Hens and a Peacock all from Peachtree Publishers.
Lester was born July 11, 1956 in Flint, Michigan. His mom and dad had left their families in Alabama and moved to Michigan where his dad, Jimmy, worked for GM. But Michigan is long way from Alabama when you have a two year old and a brand new baby. So, just two weeks after Lester was born his parents packed everything and moved back to their hometown, Heflin, Alabama. They wanted Lester and his brother Scott to grow up near grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of cousins.
When Lester was 6 the family moved again. This time to Zachary, LA where Lester attended part of 1st and all of 2nd grade. Then they moved back to Heflin where he completed 3rd grade and 4th grade. In April of 1966, while he was in the 4th grade, Lester's sister, Amanada, was born. She was so little when they brought her home that he had to hold her on a pillow. Every day when he came home from school he held her and told her stories. Some people think that's why he is a writer. Lester and Amanda have always been very close even though he is 10 years older.
When Scott was in the 7th grade and Lester was in the 5th grade and Amanda was just one year old the family moved again. This time it was to Key West, FL. They lived there under a year before moving back to Alabama.
Lester finished high school back in Heflin and then earned a BS and MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL. Then he earned an Ed.D. in Elementary Education and Reading from Auburn University, Auburn AL.
And now Lester lives downtown in Asheville, North Carolina. He starts every day with a cup of coffee, loves to listen to music and NPR. He plays saxophone and a Native American flute made from river cane. He reads a lot of children's books, Southern Fiction, poetry, and b
His academic publications include several books including Learning with Zachary (Scholastic), Spelling in Use (NCTE), Volunteers Working with Young Readers (NCTE), and his contributions to The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (NCTE), Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature (Heinemann) Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum (Heinemann, Cracking Open the Author’s Craft (Scholastic) and Unwrapping the Read Aloud (Scholastic). In addition he has several articles published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Early Years, Science and Children, Language Arts, Teaching pre-K/8, Primary Voices, and Young Children. Lester is also the author of six children’s books: The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins, Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth, Saturdays and Tea Cakes, Jake’s 100th Day of School, Snow Day! and most recently, Three Hens and a Peacock all from Peachtree Publishers.
Lester was born July 11, 1956 in Flint, Michigan. His mom and dad had left their families in Alabama and moved to Michigan where his dad, Jimmy, worked for GM. But Michigan is long way from Alabama when you have a two year old and a brand new baby. So, just two weeks after Lester was born his parents packed everything and moved back to their hometown, Heflin, Alabama. They wanted Lester and his brother Scott to grow up near grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of cousins.
When Lester was 6 the family moved again. This time to Zachary, LA where Lester attended part of 1st and all of 2nd grade. Then they moved back to Heflin where he completed 3rd grade and 4th grade. In April of 1966, while he was in the 4th grade, Lester's sister, Amanada, was born. She was so little when they brought her home that he had to hold her on a pillow. Every day when he came home from school he held her and told her stories. Some people think that's why he is a writer. Lester and Amanda have always been very close even though he is 10 years older.
When Scott was in the 7th grade and Lester was in the 5th grade and Amanda was just one year old the family moved again. This time it was to Key West, FL. They lived there under a year before moving back to Alabama.
Lester finished high school back in Heflin and then earned a BS and MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL. Then he earned an Ed.D. in Elementary Education and Reading from Auburn University, Auburn AL.
And now Lester lives downtown in Asheville, North Carolina. He starts every day with a cup of coffee, loves to listen to music and NPR. He plays saxophone and a Native American flute made from river cane. He reads a lot of children's books, Southern Fiction, poetry, and b
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 25, 2019
The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins by Lester L. Laminack, illustrated by Constance R. Bergum. PICTURE BOOK. Peachtree Publishers, 2018. $9. 9781682630631
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Miss Olivia Wiggins has Alzheimers and lives in a nursing home. Her daughter and great-grandson come to visit one day and as they speak with her she never responds but she does think back and remember events from her past. Despite having seeming no connection to her visitors, they still feel and try to build a bond with their loved one.
This is a serious picture book, the kind only the most sensitive kids are going to pick up on their own. The topic of how to deal with loves ones who suffer from Alzheimers is an important one but this is a book that approaches it on a deep, serious level. The illustrations are watercolors--beautiful but not super approachable--and there's a lot of text on each page. I imagine many adults might think this is a good pick, but I personally liked Grandma Forgets by Paul Russell a lot better.
Reviewer: TC
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Miss Olivia Wiggins has Alzheimers and lives in a nursing home. Her daughter and great-grandson come to visit one day and as they speak with her she never responds but she does think back and remember events from her past. Despite having seeming no connection to her visitors, they still feel and try to build a bond with their loved one.
This is a serious picture book, the kind only the most sensitive kids are going to pick up on their own. The topic of how to deal with loves ones who suffer from Alzheimers is an important one but this is a book that approaches it on a deep, serious level. The illustrations are watercolors--beautiful but not super approachable--and there's a lot of text on each page. I imagine many adults might think this is a good pick, but I personally liked Grandma Forgets by Paul Russell a lot better.
Reviewer: TC
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
June 1, 2017
This book was so beautiful. It showed you the life of Miss Olivia Wiggins, an elderly lady living in a home. She doesn't speak and she doesn't move, but sees everything around her. When her daughter and grandson came in to see her, they gave her so much love and knew that she couldn't respond back. They still spent time with her. While she was sitting with them she would remember bits and pieces from her past. For example, about the day her daughter was born and when she knew she had found the love of her life. She never spoke to them about these memories but you can tell she enjoyed remembering those moments in her life that she loved so much. This book teaches you how to be kind and loving towards others who are elderly now and can't display that affection back to you.
July 23, 2025
I found this book a few years after my mother passed away from Alzheimer's nearly 25 years ago, and I fell in love with it. It describes the effect of the disease so perfectly and gently. Miss Olivia just sits with her hands folded in her lap and stares, saying nothing. Her daughter Angel and great-grandson Troy visit, and she still sits as they talk to her. She still says nothing, but she thinks of beautiful memories from her past, beautiful as the sunset the nurse had pointed out that evening. Beautifully illustrated by Constance R. Bengum, this wonderful book was written by Lester Laminack, who went to the same high school as I. It is such a beautiful book, and a wonderful gentle and loving story that can help young and old cherish their loved ones who have Alzheimer's.
June 19, 2018
I couldn't even make it through the first page of this picture book before I got emotional. In this beautifully illustrated story, an elderly woman remembers snapshots of her life while her daughter and great-grandson visit her at the nursing home. I appreciate the message about how even when elders are in states of decline and are unable to interact, it is important to value and express love to them. I also love this book's portrayal of the beauty of an ordinary life that leaves behind a legacy with family members.
June 20, 2018
good book to keep in mind for when a young child needs help understanding aging and Alzheimer's in people that they love.
April 4, 2019
A beautiful poignant story about a child's visit with an elderly friend with dementia.
September 7, 2020
A helpful book for upper elementary students for understanding dementia.
October 27, 2020
Great story about appreciating the elderly and showing how quality time is important to them.
December 20, 2022
a bit depressing for a children's book. At the same time, getting old is very difficult and hard to explain to children who are full of energy and have bright minds and bodies.
June 20, 2023
Reading this a day after visiting my aunt with dementia has me teary eyed.
February 5, 2014
I was caught up in the story but after a pattern of the main character "remembering," but not saying anything then I started to wonder if Miss Wiggins had Alzheimer's. The story starts out when her great-grandson Troy & her daughter Angel, come to visit Miss Olivia Wiggins in the nursing home. (I know it's a nursing home because they refer to a nurse. Also, in one scene, there is a unnamed man in a wheelchair who is never mentioned. So I know that he is a resident too).
The scenes begin with Troy or Angel talking to each other or to Miss Wiggins. Miss Wiggins never talks back & she doesn't respond (but in some scenes she is smiling). When the other characters say or do something, Miss Olivia starts daydreaming. In one scene, Miss Olivia looks down at her own hands & starts remembering the years that she milked the cows & held her children. Everytime Miss Olivia starts remembering, she thinks about a snapshot from her life.
The transitions usually start like this," Miss Olivia didn't move, she didn't even blink, but slowly, quietly, she began to think...
She remembered...
Or "Miss Olivia Wiggins sits & looks at nothing & at everything, all at the same time...
This book had me realize that even if we think a person can't know or understand us, that they can still remember.
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There are 27 pages of storytime & the pictures are in water color & very detailed. I would use this book to show my class how different our thought processes are. I would show a picture to my class & then everyone (including myself) would journal about the scene in their own language.
The scenes begin with Troy or Angel talking to each other or to Miss Wiggins. Miss Wiggins never talks back & she doesn't respond (but in some scenes she is smiling). When the other characters say or do something, Miss Olivia starts daydreaming. In one scene, Miss Olivia looks down at her own hands & starts remembering the years that she milked the cows & held her children. Everytime Miss Olivia starts remembering, she thinks about a snapshot from her life.
The transitions usually start like this," Miss Olivia didn't move, she didn't even blink, but slowly, quietly, she began to think...
She remembered...
Or "Miss Olivia Wiggins sits & looks at nothing & at everything, all at the same time...
This book had me realize that even if we think a person can't know or understand us, that they can still remember.
--------------------
There are 27 pages of storytime & the pictures are in water color & very detailed. I would use this book to show my class how different our thought processes are. I would show a picture to my class & then everyone (including myself) would journal about the scene in their own language.
April 8, 2014
This is a fantastic book that brings light to the topics of aging, Dementia, and Alzheimer's Disease. In this story, an elderly woman's family comes to visit her in her nursing home. Although she is completely unresponsive, with the exception of a smirk or smile every once in a while, she is constantly reflecting back on past memories as she is reminded of them. Her vivid and detailed recollections paired with the beautiful watercolor illustrations paint the perfect picture for the reader. This is a great book to read to a more mature class and introduce and discuss such a sensitive topic. I could use this for a lesson on emotions. I could have the students journal about how the characters in the story may have felt, and how it made them feel.
February 19, 2013
What a wonderful story. Troy visits his great-grandmother. Even though she doesn't speak, he knows she can hear him. All the while, she is quietly reminiscing as he sparks memories within her as he speaks. This book has repetition that makes it easy to predict what Troy will see his great-grandmother will do (...staring at nothing and at everything, all at the same time). I like the vivid vocabulary used throughout the text. It is a great way to introduce finding meaning through contextual clues (ex...Nimble fingers that milked cows...) in the classroom.
March 12, 2013
This book is fantastic and brings awareness to the topic of Dementia. This story is about an elderly lady and her thought process as she reflects back on memories from her past. She does not speak, but she hears, thinks, and watches. I think that this is a fabulous story to read to your class and introduce what Dementia is and how it can effect those that have it, as well as those that love and support that person. I probably wouldn't suggest this for Pre-K or Kindergarten simply because of the maturity of the topic, but it is a fantastic book that all teachers should read to their class.
January 11, 2014
Miss Olivia Wiggins suffers from alzheimer's disease. She seems to sit forever and stare out the window, even when her young grandchild visits her. It's so hard to explain this horrible disease to children, but Lester Laminack tries to shed some light on what's happening with Miss Olivia as he reveals the memories that go through her mind as she stares out into space.
It's often said that we can learn about life through literature, and I think that's exactly what can happen when young children read this book.
It's often said that we can learn about life through literature, and I think that's exactly what can happen when young children read this book.
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April 8, 2013This is a story of a old woman named Mrs. Wiggins. She lives in a home for the elderly and gets a visit from her family. In this visit of her family Mrs. Wiggins say nothing but though the eyes of her grandson her long life is told. This beautiful book can be used to expand students vocabulary. Throughout this book extensive language is used to tell the story and it is the language that can advance students' writings.
April 16, 2013
"The Sunset of Miss Olivia Wiggins" is a touching and warm story about an elderly lady, Miss Wiggins who has dementia. She cant speak but can hear everything! She relives her memories of her life when Troy, her grandson comes to visit her.
As a teacher, I would use this book to inspire students to feel like they can always have a good relationship with their family. Also, I would use this book to show students the importance of spending time with their family, and even their grandparents.
As a teacher, I would use this book to inspire students to feel like they can always have a good relationship with their family. Also, I would use this book to show students the importance of spending time with their family, and even their grandparents.
July 21, 2020
This is a sweet book with beautiful illustrations. While it likely wouldn't engage a young child, it could be a great transitional book for an older elementary age, or even a sentimental/gift book for an adult. The illustrations are radiant watercolors that capture the eye on the first page. The story is of an elderly grandmother with Alzheimers. Her family comes to visit, even though she is unable to respond or engage.
April 10, 2013
An excellent story to remind us of what elders truly have to offer us. Troy visits his great-grandmother and even though she doesn't speak, Troy knows she is listening. I can use this book in the classroom to help students discover descriptive vocabulary through context-clues.
May 22, 2016
I really like that this book tackles the subject of aging and dementia in caring (and interesting) way. It's hard to know that this is really how someone would experience their day, but it definitely gives hope to people like the grandson who comes to visit that their time and love have an impact.
April 21, 2024
“Miss Olivia Wiggins didn’t say anything. She just sat there, staring straight ahead, at nothing and at everything, with her hands folded in her lap. She didn’t move, she didn’t even blink, but slowly, quietly, she began to think...”
A beautiful story dedicated to all grandmas ❤️👵🏼
A beautiful story dedicated to all grandmas ❤️👵🏼
November 19, 2009
Mommy says: Children might not be interested in this book, but the adults reading aloud will find themselves getting choked up. Lovely.
November 20, 2009
This book pairs well with Lester Laminaks Saturdays and Teacakes. This is a sweet story of an elderly woman who remembers her past through her grandson's visits.
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April 22, 2012A grandmother who is 'locked in' remembers better times through her families visit.
July 25, 2012
Excellent, haunting author's refrain.
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May 2, 2019This is one of the best book I have read in a while. I love the fact that she was remembering things the whole time even though they didn't realize it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews