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Children's Book of the Month

Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
Published by Orion, 2013

Cosmo’s grandfather has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, his brother is dead and his mother has emigrated to Australia. He loves his Granddad and owes a very happy young life to him. Sharing their love of horses has brought them close together and Cosmo has learned all he knows about them from his beloved grandfather. But Grandad’s mind is beginning to ramble and much as Cosmo wants to deny it, he has to accept that.

When Cosmo is given the key to the gates of Blackbrick Abbey he meets his grandfather on the other side. But this time his grandfather is the young stable boy from his distant past. Determined that Granddad will not go into a home, Cosmo helps to reveal amazing secrets about the old man’s life bringing an unexpected twist in the tale to the unsuspecting reader.

Back to Blackbrick will help children to understand how Alzheimer’s Disease can take its toll on a beloved grandparent. It also explores the themes of family, separation and memory loss in a way that is never oppressive to a young reader.

There is a lesson in this book for all of us; it is so important to be patient with our elders and to recognize that how we see them outwardly can mask a lifetime of adventure and experiences.