Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge resides next door to a nursing home. His friend is Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper, because she has four names like him. Miss Nancy has lost her memory due to age. Wilfred though, is going to find her memory. He tries to figure out the meaning of the word memory so he can help his elderly friend remember.
Ages 5 and up
barnes and noble.com

Summary: This is a sweet story about a young boy who lives by a nursing hime. He knows everybody that lives there, but his favorite person is Miss Nancy Alison Deracourt Cooper because she has four names like the boy. After hearing his parents talk about the woman losing her memory, he takes it on himself to help her find it. He asks around the nursing home about what a memory was. After various explanations, he collects all his items and shows the woman, who then starts remembering.

Personal Reaction: I really enjoyed this story. It was very touching and also humorous.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
A. A good idea would be to allow a student to have a pen pal from the nursing home. They could write them and ask different questions about their lives and send pictures and other items.
B. Another good idea would be to allow the students to visit a local nursing home or on a computer take a virtual tour of one. ( )

Summary: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a young boy who lives next door to a retirement home, where he has developed many good relationships with the people who live there. His favorite person was Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper, because she has four names just as he does. One day, Wilfrid heard his parents talking about how Miss Nancy has lost her memory. Wilfrid sets out to ask all of his friends at the retirement home what a memory is, and he gathers a variety of different responses. Wilfrid goes home to collect items based off of the descriptions of what a memory is from what people tell him. He then goes to share the items with Miss Nancy, who then makes connections from them and starts to regain her memory while remembering things from her past.

Genre Critique: This book is an excellent example of realistic fiction. The setting, characters, and events are all believable. It is very realistic for a boy to interact with the elderly people living in his neighborhood, show empathy towards them, and help them out in any way he can. Children can relate to the boy's curiosity in figuring out the meaning of a new word, and with helping others out. Those who have grandparents may be able to connect the events that occur in the story to their own lives.

Media: colored pencils and pen ( )

This book's theme is about kindness. The young boy in this book spends a lot of time finding out what a memory is and giving it back to his elderly friend. This book goes back through all the important memories she has had and it is really heart warming. This book is age appropriate for early childhood level. ( )

Shows that different artifacts can help recall memories and stories. Great for book in a bag. ( )