My 10-year-old daughter and her friends LOVED this book! They were immersed in it from beginning to end. It was interesting to see them relate to the story, be moved by the characters and smile with them also. It’s a wonderful book to keep in your library, a helpful educational resource on how we can help a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease while also getting kids (and adults) practicing a little Spanish! – Amazon reader’s review, Sept. 2
Young Silvio and his siblings, Tomas and Patricia, are looking forward to traveling to Nicaragua to visit their grandparents.
Before the journey, their parents explained to the children that they might notice their abuelitos having difficulty remembering important things, and with basic conversations and activities.
This is the gist of Juntos: Living With Alzheimer’s, a new children’s book by St. Petersburg resident Silvio Delgado, with illustrations by Rachel Stotler, an artist and designer from Sarasota.
Juntos is a Spanish word meaning “close together.”
Rachel Stotler illustrated the story of Lito and Lita, young Silvio’s Nicaraguan grandparents. Illustrations: St. Petersburg Press.
Although it’s not the first book for the very young to deal with the subject of Alzheimer’s, it might be the first to approach it bilingually: Delgado’s text transitions between English and Spanish seamlessly, making it easy to understand at once or in sections.
And understanding is key to the lesson he’s trying to impart, according to Delgado, who holds a Master’s in Education.
“Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of conversations with my family around big emotions, and heavy topics,” he said. “And I wanted to provide space for families to engage in not just storytelling, but also sharing what they are personally feeling.”
He considers Juntos (published by St. Petersburg Press) to be a form of bibliotherapy – described by Psychology Today as “a therapeutic approach employing books and other forms of literature, typically alongside more traditional therapy modalities, to support a patient’s mental health.”
Although the story was inspired by real events in his family, Delgado made it universal, so that children confused by the realities of the devastating disease might find comfort in the words and actions of Silvio, Tomas, Patricia and their parents.
Said Stotler: “With a calming color pallet – very distinct and literal illustrations – our goal was to make it as digestible as possible for little ones who may not understand what’s happening.”
“I also intentionally incorporated both languages because I wanted to makes sure kiddos like me, who learned Spanish as a first language, or kiddos who just want to be exposed to another language, can see that on these pages.”
At the end of the book are several blank pages, for “unpacking” feelings. “There are no lines,” Delgado pointed out. “I wanted kiddos to journal however they feel most comfortable. Even if it’s with images instead of words.”
“Silvio’s approach to his storytelling touched my heart,” artist Stotler said. “The brilliance of using his characters to showcase how we can all help our loved ones who may be affected by this made for an easy translation into visuals.
“Not to mention, Silvio is one of the kindest human beings I’ve had the pleasure of working with – his constant encouragement, thoughtful feedback and how he carries himself made for an effortless flow.”
Delgado is the Florida Program Director for iTeach, a national educator prep program, “supporting folks who are passionate about becoming teachers.”
He has more than 17 years’ experience in both classroom and administrative work, including a lengthy stint as a middle school math teacher in Phoenix (teaching in both English and Spanish).
“When I was a teacher, and when I was a school administrator, I used to do a lot of children’s book readings to the little ones,” he said. “Even though I was a junior high teacher, we partnered with lower grades as book buddies. And so my junior high kiddos would teach little ones to read.
“So I’ve always had a passion for children’s literature, and literacy.”
In Juntos, the children – with understanding and love in their hearts – enjoy their Nicaraguan holiday with Lito and Lita, helping them with everyday tasks and routines. They cook together, dance, sing and go on walks together.
“Tomorrow will bring more stories with sonrisas (smiles) and maybe even tears,” young Silvio, the narrator, says near the end of the book. “I am SO excited to share those stories with you about what we teach our abuelitos to help them live with Alzheimer’s.”
Find Juntos: Living With Alzheimer’s at Tombolo Books and other retailers, on Amazon or via St. Petersburg Press.
