CHRISTMAS COOKIES are for Any Time You Need Them

About the Book

From an early age, Katie has lived with her grandmother, whom she calls Gramby. Over the years, Katie and Gramby have built many cherished memories through their tradition of baking Christmas cookies whenever they needed them—whether it was December or April! There were cookies to distract from the irritating itch of chicken pox, cookies to ease the pain of a broken arm, and of course, cookies to go with every Christmas, birthday, or celebration that came along. As a teenager, Katie began to notice that Gramby sometimes struggled to remember things; she couldn’t recall the cookie recipe that she’d known by heart since Katie was a tiny baby. Then, as Katie starts college, Gramby is hospitalized. What can Katie do to take care of her grandmother—who can’t even remember her name—and help preserve as many special memories as possible? Written for those whose memories have dimmed and/or their loved ones, this story shares the experiences of a young woman and her grandmother with Alzheimer’s disease.

About the Author

With degrees from Ohio State University and Florida Atlantic University, Barnhart is a retired elementary teacher, counselor, and resource specialist, and has taught college-level, children’s literature courses. Barnhart and husband live near Sebring, Florida, spending summers in Massachusetts, near their daughter and granddaughter—treasured times after losing a son and granddaughter.