Take My Patty, written by Alison Hayes, is a children’s book about the close bond between a child and a grandmother whose memory is changing. What drew me in was how much personality Grandma has from the start. She’s someone with her own expressions, favorite activities, and familiar ways of making her grandchild feel at home. Hayes builds their relationship through the sort of everyday moments kids remember: making snacks, playing cards, and heading outside together. That gives the book a comfortable, lived-in feeling and makes its more difficult subject feel connected to people readers can care about.

Grandma’s language is one of my favorite parts. Words like “davenport” and “icebox” give her a voice you can almost hear, while her playful names for ordinary things capture how families develop their own little vocabulary. The title comes from her way of asking her grandchild to hold hands, which is a lovely detail to build a story around. The child’s narration is direct and believable, especially in the way affection and uncertainty sit alongside each other. Hayes gives young readers room to recognize confusing feelings, and the short passages and conversational dialogue make the book easy to share aloud at an unhurried pace.

Soft, textured color fills the spreads, with sunny yellows, gentle greens, and autumn oranges making Grandma’s world feel familiar and inviting. The rooms are full of things worth stopping to notice, including kitchen molds, a patchwork blanket, and family photographs. I especially liked the attention to hands, faces, and the way the two characters lean toward each other. Those gestures make their affection visible. The artwork also varies its viewpoint, moving between broad scenes and close details, so there’s plenty for children to explore while an adult reads. Changes in light and color help carry the shifts in mood.

I really enjoyed the book’s attention to what a child notices when someone they love begins to need more support. Familiar routines matter, small changes can feel big, and wanting to help comes naturally. There’s enough emotional weight here to invite questions, so I’d choose a time when there’s room to pause and talk. Families experiencing a loved one’s memory loss may find the child’s perspective especially useful, while other readers can connect through their own relationships with grandparents or caregivers. Take My Patty offers a thoughtful shared reading experience, with a distinctive grandmother, an affectionate young narrator, and pictures that reward a closer look.

Pages: 32 | ISBN : 1645388220