Grandma's Place

By: Marie-Claude Giguère

Narrated by: Julie Nadler

While Dad is away on a business trip, 9-year-old Sam stays at Gams’ house. Over the next two weeks, she and Gams share quality time and grow closer together. Gams’ home is both fascinating and scary. The old house is filled with a lifetime’s worth of treasures.

Sam looks up to her Gams, a great cook and an expert gardener, but is saddened as she sees her grandmother struggling to do things that once came so easily. She notices that the big house is getting to be too much for Gams to manage; the stairs are getting harder and harder to climb. When Dad returns, Sam knows, she must find the courage to share the struggles she’s seen with him what she has witnessed.

Mad? Furious! is how Sam feels when she hears how her father speaks to his mother about the challenges Gams is facing. He tells her that he needs to “place” her. This sounds all wrong to Sam. Gams is not and never will be an object to be “placed”!

Our words have the power to open up or rapidly shut down conversations. To a senior destabilized by a loss of autonomy, a few simple words can make all the difference. Let’s speak from the heart when it comes to conversations around aging.

©2020 Marie-Claude Giguère (P)2023 Marie-Claude Giguère

Highly recommend!

Marie-Claude Giguère did a fantastic job of conveying how growing older can affect people and their families, the decisions that must be made when a move becomes necessary, and how to approach the topic using language that is thoughtful and caring. The narrator’s well-modulated tones move the story along in an engaging manner, creating a wonderful listening experience for the whole family. The discussion at the end between the author and narrator offers additional insights while emphasizing important points. A great book all around!