Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, Lost

Written by Betina Birkjær
Illustrated by Anna Margrethe Kjærgaard
Translated from Danish by Sinéad Quirke Køngerskov

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the 21st Century (So Far)
A 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book
A Finalist for the 2022 Kirkus Prize in Young Readers’ Literature
A USBBY Outstanding International Book of 2022
A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022
A 2021 Penn Graduate School of Education Best Book for Young Readers

Stump loves spending time with his grandparents. His days with them are filled with flowers, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and an abundance of love. But one day, Grandpa begins to grow forgetful—his words slipping away, shown in the illustrations as they drift and fall from him. Determined not to lose them, Stump carefully gathers Grandpa’s missing words and stores them in a special box. As Grandpa forgets more and more, Stump and Grandma slowly come to understand that they must find new ways to stay connected, nurturing their bond of love and reminding Grandpa that he is never alone.

This tender and deeply moving picture book captures the warmth of the grandparent–grandchild relationship while addressing the realities of dementia with honesty, care, and sensitivity. An afterword for adult readers, written by the head of the Danish Center for Reminiscence, offers insight into memory and recollection, along with practical suggestions—such as using familiar scents and shared objects from the past—for creating meaningful moments of connection when caring for a loved one with dementia.

ISBN: 978-1-59270-373-9

8” (W) x 10” (H) • 44 pages • HCJ • Ages 6-10