This was a really sweet tale about getting older and losing memories and finding a way to bring them back. Some of the ideas will be a bit advanced for younger readers - but perfect for adults! And younger children will enjoy the illustrations and adventure.

The story of a young boy trying to help his elderly friend remember her memories. A really cute and sad book, filled with hope from the boy, the story was really emotional and appealing to adults as well as children. The soft coloring really helps to bring forward the feel of memories. The book could be an excellent resource in a classroom. It could be used to introduce a lot of topics and lessons. One big one might be mental illness, as the book deals with memory loss and old age. This topic is sometimes difficult to discuss, so introducing it with such a cute and hopeful book could make it much easier for students to consider. It could also be used for different activities. Perhaps after reading a teacher could ask students to build their own memory boxes like the boy in the book, or to talk with their family members about their childhood memories, letting them get to know their family history and the lessons their family have learned.

I love this story! I'm not as crazy about the illustrations, but the storyline had me crying. My grandfather had Alzheimer's and this book just touched me in a way I didn't expect it too. I can't wait to share this with my daugther.

" Ele procurou o senhor Valdemar, que adorava remar.
- O que é uma memória? - perguntou.
- Algo que o faz chorar, meu menino, algo que o faz chorar.
Ele procurou a Sra. Mandala, que andava com a bengala.
- O que é uma memória? - perguntou.
- Algo que o faz rir, meu querido, que o faz rir."

Acho incrível como uma única palavra pode significar um milhão de coisas diferentes para cada pessoa.

Fox, Mem. Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. (1984). Vivas, Julie Illustrator. Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge is story of a young boy who helps his favorite senior citizen, Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt, at the old people's home, find her memory. He does this by going on a quest to find out what memory is. He starts with his parents by asking, "What is memory?", and then to all the other elderly members of the retirement community. He learns that memory is something warm and long ago; something that makes you laugh and cry; and that memory is as precious as gold! Vivas's soft yet colorful watercolor illustrations beautifully exemplify these sentiments. Images are presented on a clean, white background focusing solely on Wilfred and his senior friends. Because of the vocabulary of the text, I would recommend this book for advanced second graders to third graders.

I just love this book. It is one of the most bittersweet stories that I have ever read and brings tears to my eyes every time. Little Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge loves to visit the old folk's home next door. He has a special kinship with Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper and they both share 4 names. I relate to this as I also have 4 names. Wilfrid hears his parents talking about Miss Nancy losing her memory and wonders what a "memory" is? He sets out to find out by asking all his friends at the old folk's home. Each of his friends gives him a different meaning of what memory means to them. I don't want to give away the story because I think everyone should buy this book and have a copy in their home, but it is very touching. Wilfrid goes home and gets several items that seem to represents the different things that are a memory to his other friends. He shares these items with Miss Nancy and as he does so many of her memories start returning to her. Such a sweet story of a wonderful interaction between the innocence of young and old.

A perfect picture book about a boy who wants to understand what it means that his dear elderly friend has lost her memory. "What is a memory?" he asks the residents of the home for the elderly next door. Using their answers, he collects objects to take to his friend which then spur her to remember. Touches on a difficult topic in a kid-friendly and positive way.

Andrea loves this book.

I love this story. Wilfred's elderly neighbor, Miss Nancy, has lost her memories. He wants to help her find them but he's not sure what a memory is. So he begins asking other neighbors and they each describe memories in a different way...something sad, something funny, something warm, something from long ago, etc. So Wilfred collects an object for each of these descriptions to share with Miss Nancy, helping her to regain her own memories.

This is a wonderful book to read as a writing model. Children can bring in photographs or objects that help them remember sad memories, funny memories, warm memories, and so on. Then each of these photos or objects can lead to a story. Or even if students can't bring in actual objects, just using these descriptions and listing memories that might be sad or memories that might be funny can be a great springboard for helping them record their own memories.

A beautifully tender book about a little boy who brings memories to an old friend who has lost her own. The illustrations are just as poignant as the text. Made me teary-eyed.

This was a cute story of a friendship between a very young boy and some kindly old folks. It was heart-warming to see and to read as a former CNA and Early Childhood Care-Giver seeing how children can truely help old people.

It was sweet to see how Wilfred collected things that he thought were memories to help Mrs. Nancy find her own again. My only complaint would be with the repitition used when the other old folks were talking about memories. For example, Wilfred would ask, "What is a memory?" and the person he was talking to would say some thing like, "Something warm, my boy, something warm." At first it was endearing and cute, but became dull very quickly.

An Aussie favourite, this book is a staple anywhere young children lurk. I am not a fan of  Julie Vivas's rotund bodies and flowing illustrative style, but  Mem Fox's story is impressive and moving. Young Wilfrid lives next door to an old people's home. He is concerned about Miss Nancy and wants to help restore her memories. He asks each resident in turn, 'What's a memory?' They respond differently of course and Wilfred gathers objects that, indeed, remind Miss Nancy of her past. The strength of this book is that there is something for everyone: Wilfred's quest and success, the strong relationships and sensitive treatment of the aged. It's sustaining for all the audiences.

For the language focused classroom teacher who would ruin a good story with exploration of grammar, this is a great book for looking at adjectival clauses and similes (in context). I also like the multiple and contradictory definitions of memory.