AUTHOR: Pablo Caracol
PUBLISHER: :  Narval Editores
GENRE: :  Children/Young
READER’S NAME: Teresa Mlawer
DATE: March 27, 2017

Sometimes Lola does not remember her name or how old she is. She feels the world is a strange place where unknown words and people inhabit, but music and the contact with her grandfather are her only comfort.  But, is there a reason why Lola loves balloons.

Using a mixture of drawings and collage, Pablo Caracol introduces us to the life of a young-old girl who narrates, in the first person, what it means to live with Alzheimer. Me gustan los globos is a beautiful picture book that combines different objects related to daily life and the passing of time.

A wonderful but at the same time sad story about Alzheimer, aimed to make children better understand this terrible illness and the effects it has on older people-how sometimes they act like children themselves, sometimes as if they never met us before, and sometimes as if they are scared of us.

Alzheimer is cruel not only for people who suffer this terrible illness, but also for family members and caretakers. 

In Me gustan los globos we see Antonio as a grandfather and Lola as a child, which is the way she sees herself.  Antonio is patient and caring with Lola because Lola is his wife and he loves her.  Antonio protects her, takes care of her, and calms her down. And if by chance, one day she remembers his name, that’s enough for him to be happy.   

This is truly a remarkable and needed book to make children understand, with beautiful words and magical art, why people affected with Alzheimer act the way they do, and that they can also be part of the healing process.