William Yamaguchi Dobson Books

In Kamizen, Jonty is 12 and his grandfather has dementia. He is determined to recover some of his lost memories before it is too late and wants Jonty to help him. Jonty and his mother have moved in with his grandfather for the summer in order to look after him. Jonty’s grandfather has a list of the memories he needs help recovering so Jonty thinks he will have to help him by doing research on the internet, until one day, he meets a talking bonobo ape who says he can help Jonty pass through the Gate of Memory to recover his grandfather’s memories in person. Every time Jonty goes through the Gate of Memory though, there’s an evil pirate crew trying to stop him retrieve his grandfather’s memories.

An exciting adventure rooted in Japanese folklore. I also love the style of the illustrations that accompany this story. This would be a great read for children in Upper KS2 who like adventures, fantasy, myths and legends, or manga. It deals with the subject of dementia really sensitively and the importance of helping people keep hold of treasured memories.