Grandma Didn't Wave Back

by Rose Blue

A ten-year-old slowly realizes her grandmother's memory is getting so bad she may have to go to a nursing home.

62 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1976

Reviews

[Claire Binkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been trying to understand the point of this YA book this sunny afternoon so that I don't melt in the bright glare. (My 2015 finish time is short for the maybe fifty other times I've stared at it in confusion)

The main characters are Debbie and Grandma.

The intent of Rose Blue seems like it was to depict the austerity measures made by former Pres. Richard Nixon in 1972, which is when this book was published. I bet that is why the librarian at my father's elementary school had kept it, too, since it IS a rather dismal "page-turner," if you want to call it one of those.
Now that I actually researched that with the Internet, I like it better.

It has b&w illustrations every few pages.

[🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book focuses on Debbie, an eleven year old girl, and her Grandma. Grandma takes care of Debbie after school every day and one day Debbie comes home and Grandma doesn’t wave hello from the window, hence where we get our title. Grandma develops what seems to be Alzheimer’s though the disease is never mentioned, just that she’s sick, and this book details how Debbie and her family deal with that.

Overall I enjoyed the book, it was definitely dated, but in an enjoyable reminiscing way. The language wasn’t overly flowery and I read the book in probably under an hour.

This book also features illustrations by Ted Lewin every few pages and I enjoyed the artwork.