A positive story based on a young girl called Iris and her adventures with her friend and her grandmother Mimi. Uncovering the past and the real story of what happened to Mimi’s cousin, set against her grandmother’s failing memory and what they think might be dementia. Uplifting, and puts a smile on your face whilst you’re reading it - I liked this story and enjoyed the story.
This story is told from the perspective of a girl called Iris who is 10 years old. When she has to move in with her grandmother Mimi, she finds her grandmother’s behaviour is jumbled and peculiar. It is only when her ‘friendemy’ Mason mentions that his Grandpa who is acting in a similar way has dementia, Iris begins to worry.
Mimi tells Iris a story about her family but she’s not sure what to believe. This becomes the central part of the story and the adventure. It’s about family, relationships with people, and uncovering stories from the past. It’s a positive story which is really sweet which will make you feel good once you’ve read it.
A sensitively written look into family, friendship and remembering what is important. Beautifully crafted and a wonderful read.
An excellent book by SE Durrant tackling real-life topics with her usual courage and honesty. Iris is staying with her grandmother as her parents deal with toddler twins and mould in the house. She begins to notice her grandmother putting jam in her eggs and forgetting things around the house. She begins to make a list and finds ways to love and support her grandmother. This book tackles dementia from a child’s view and is sensitive in its explanations. Durrant’s style with chapters broken into smaller sections makes this accessible for all readers and manageable for children to understand. Iris is likeable and relatable. Highly recommended for children in upper key stage 2.
Talking to the moon was a great read that I enjoyed! All of the characters had appreciable personalities that were fun to follow along and the ending was another aspect that I enjoyed with good pace and endnote.
Talking to the moon was a great read that I enjoyed!
The main character's development was good throughout the book, and how she managed to form a friendship with her irritating next-door neighbour, Mason.
In fact, all of the characters were great to read about; Mimi, the grandmother who likes to tie ribbons on things and can be a little forgetful sometimes; Mason, the annoying marble obsessed neighbour and even Lee and his dogs. They all had some great personalities that made the book what it is.
The book is also packed with little stories that all manage to tie together at the end to make this book so full. There is the mystery of Coral, a new bond between 2 people, the dilemma of Mimi's forgetfulness. I think that these stories went very well together and it was not too much at once, a good amount.
I especially liked the ending, as any person who reads this book will. It was very well-written and finishes the book off properly. I have read a few books that have been a little rushed towards the end, but this one has the right pace and end story.
S. E. Durrant has done it again!
S. E. Durrant has done it again! I so loved Little Bits of Sky and Running on Empathy and her latest book Talking to the Moon is just as remarkable. Using her signature warmth and sensitivity to tackle real-life topics, Durrant explores the importance of love, loss and the power of memory in this heartfelt and honest story of one young girl’s pursuit to unravel a family mystery. Set against the grandmother’s fading memory, Durrant gently touches on dementia and the struggles surrounding this but in doing so brings forth a wonderful bunch of unforgettable characters.
Beautifully crafted with manageable-sized chapters, Durrant’s writing is as poignant as it is uplifting, ending on a perfect note of hope and happiness.
A thrilling and enticing read for all those who love some mystery.
This is an incredible read about Iris and her grandmother's past. As Iris uncovers Mimi's secret she soon finds there is a lot more to it than herself and Mimi. Malcolm, Mimi's next-door neighbour, finds his own place in the story and is actually a great help under all his annoyingness. It's a thrilling tale and easy to read as it is laid out beautifully.
Like the old saying, this is definitely a book that you shouldn't judge by its cover.