SuitabookThe ACB with Honora Lee
Kate De Goldi
- Reading
- Read alongside the child if possible, pausing to explain unfamiliar figurative language or dementia-related behaviour. Invite discussion of which alphabet entries or residents feel memorable, without treating Honora’s condition as a joke.
- Themes
- Living with dementia: Honora lives at Santa Lucia and does not remember Perry or Perry’s father. Perry spends more time with her and involves her in the alphabet book. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Connection through creativity: Perry creates an alphabet book with Honora and other residents after discovering Honora’s interest in the alphabet. The collaborative project is presented as the story’s central activity and brings wider interest, supporting a positive reading of creative connection.
- Pressure on children: Perry is an only child whose parents are busy, tired, impatient and keen to keep her occupied with activities. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Some readers may need support with Honora not remembering Perry and her father, the care-home setting, and references to dementia. The humour may also land differently for children and adults.