by SHANNON WIERSBITZKY
“Heirloom flowers are born from seeds that…have been handed down from generation to generation….While gathering seeds in my hand, some big, some as tiny as a grain of sand, I’ve wondered if they hold any memory of the flowers before them. What they saw, what they heard, how to survive in times of drought, or anything at all about the people who tended them. If they do, I wonder what the next seeds will remember about me and Old Red.”
“What do flowers remember? The stories of the people who cared for them, of course, as Wiersbitzky’s sensitive novel compassionately conveys.” – Kirkus Reviews
First memories, last memories are the soul-seeds for continuing the love of anyone who dies. In WHAT FLOWERS REMEMBER, Shannon captures the journey of grief and acceptance, and even the celebration that is part of losing someone beloved. In this case, it is the journey of a young Delia Burns as she tries to save those memories, the first, last, and all those in between, of her elderly neighbor who has Alzheimer’s.
For Shannon, the journey as captured in story, was also a personal one. Her own grandfather had Alzheimer’s and when she was a young woman, he forgot her. Shannon writes with a magic of capturing the flavor of small town, close family, and importance of each individual as we each contribute to the creation of community.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Caregiver Month in the United States.
In a recent interview with Cynsations, Shannon says:
“There was a lot of truth I could have drawn from. Moments when we battled the disease and sometimes my grandfather, too, as his personality, as well as his physical and mental abilities changed. In the end, I included only one truth: “The emotion of being forgotten.”
“Fans of wholesome, uplifting stories similar to Canfield’s Chicken Soup for the Soul collections, will best enjoy this gentle reminder of the goodness of life and people.” — Voice of Youth Advocates
” Delia’s move from grief for what she’s losing to a deeper understanding of her old friend is smoothly depicted…. The story will bring new perspective for readers struggling with their own beloved elders, and the liquid joy of a serious tearjerker to anybody who likes a poignant human drama.”
–The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Recommended
” Teachers may wish to consider this book for reading lists in middle school.”
–Children’s Literature