The Little Word Catcher

"Did you know that words could get lost?" the young narrator of this poignant picture-book inquires, going on to relate the story of her beloved grandmother, a woman who once had a miraculous facility with words, and who now struggles to express herself. As the narrator and her mother attempt to help, completing grandmother's sentences, becoming "word catchers," the girl wonders what has happened to make her grandmother's words disappear, eventually concluding that they have been bequeathed to her...

Originally published in French as La Petite rapporteuse de mots, this book doesn't offer an explanation of Alzheimer's Disease - which is never mentioned in the text - to young readers. Rather, it depicts a child's sadness, at seeing a loved show more one's memory and cognitive ability deteriorate, as a result of the disease - "My grandmother looks very sad. Suddenly it seems like she's not with us. And yet she is right there." - and a comforting reassurance that some things - like love - don't change. The Little Word Catcher is one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a younger children's books dealing with this issue. show less

The Little Word Catcher is an incredibly emotional, but heartwarming story about a little girl explaining her life with a grandmother who has Alzheimer's disease. Many young children have had to watch a relative gradually lose their memory, so this story would be relatable to many children. The big idea of this story is that no matter how forgetful your relative is, you should be patient and loving with them, because they still love and care for you very much. It is important for young children to realize that their grandparents do not want to forget their name and are not poor listeners. They are the same people they were before their memory loss, but are now struggling and need help from others. The main character uses “I feel show more like” sentences such as, “I feel like I’m playing a guessing game with grandma.” These sentences help children become aware of their emotions, and lets them know that it is okay to express their own feelings. The language is this story is age-appropriate, but there are very few simple, straightforward sentences. This story has a lot of descriptive language and gives students the opportunity to make inferences. For example, the book does not explicitly state that the girl’s grandmother is sick. However, it does include sentences such as “My grandmother misplaces words all the time” and “My grandmother looks very sad. Suddenly it seems like she’s not with us”, which imply that she is losing her memory. The illustrations are colorful and the outlines of the people look as if they could have been drawn by a child. The pictures are simple, but vibrant so they are child-friendly. Some of the pages are very dense and have a lot of text, but the story is still very interesting and I would recommend it for any elementary school classroom. show less

Originally published in French, The Little Word Catcher won a Governor General’s Award for Illustration. It was written with Alzheimer patients and their families in mind but also illustrates the impact of aphasia (an acquired communication disorder that is often due to stroke). Elise’s grandmother is losing her words. When in conversation, she has difficulty coming up with the right word to use. The affliction is terribly difficult for her young granddaughter to understand. Eventually, Elise takes comfort in the thought that perhaps Grandma has given her the words to use. A lovely story about the special relationship between a grandparent and a child, The Little Word Catcher will have special poignancy for families dealing with show more aging and loss. show less

A story that touched my heart. A beautiful way to look at what happens when we start to forget words.