Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a small boy who has a big name - and that's why he likes Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper because she has too. Young Wilfrid Gordon lives next door to a nursing home and is best friends with 96-year-old Miss Nancy, to whom he tells his secrets. When she loses her memory, he decides to find it for her with the confidence only an innocent can have…For a topic often spoken of in euphemism, the author has displayed warmth, wit and dignity without being sappy.
The spongeable cover and dreamy watercolors complement this uplifting tale. Adults will likely turn the last page with a pang, then will read again this beautiful, gentle story about aging. Whether a child is listening or not.
Author Mem Fox wrote Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge in the hope of bringing children and the elderly together and it remains a modern-day classic, used in homes, classrooms and even training sessions for volunteers who work with the elderly.
A perennial classic, perfect for reading aloud.
From a parent:
Do you have a family member suffering from Alzheimers? This book is excellent story that can help to begin to explain to a child what is happening to grandma or grandpa. The story is so moving and brings me to tears each time I read it. I love the book and so does my 4 year old. She loves talking about how to help bring memories back to life.
From a reviewer:
"A wonderful tale that celebrates both the exuberance of childhood and the dignity of old age." - The Boston Sunday Globe
About the author:
Mem Fox was born in Melbourne but spent much of her early life in Zimbabwe. She returned to Australia in 1970 and lives in the Adelaide foothills with her husband and daughter.
About the illustrator:
Julie Vivas trained at the National Art School in Sydney, first undertaking a course in interior design and later switching to film animation. From 1969 to 1973 she lived in Spain. She currently lives in Australia, near the Harbor.