Review Detail

I can't say that I often cry at children's picture books, but Holding On had me tearing up at the end. It's a beautifully written story about a girl and her grandmother whom she calls Lola. You can see how they spend their summers together. They sing all of Lola's favorite music and Lola shares stories of the past. When Lola starts to forget things her granddaughter is there to hold on and help her remember by singing the songs that Lola taught her. Cue the tears.

I found this book to be so well written, and it addressed memory loss/dementia of a family member in a way that children can easily understand. The illustrations of Lola at the end when she has memory loss show her looking confused and not the happy singing grandma we see at the beginning of the book which is a simple way for the reader to see how she has changed.

This was my first introduction to Sophia N. Lee's work, but I am eager to read her other picture books featuring Filipino characters. With her colorful illustrations and the music moving across the pages, Isabel Roxas added to the book's appeal.

A delicate and moving portrayal of tough topics like grandparents aging makes Holding On an exceptional read.