Sometimes I see a book and say to myself that it looks good, but for some reason say no thank you to actually reading. Then things happen and it keeps coming back to my attention. And finally one day I will say FINE I will read you. Sometimes I regret doing that, sometimes I do not. I am not sure how I feel about Cassi and the House of Memories: A Graphic Novel by Dean Stuart.
This book is an emotional fantastical journey of a young girl, Cassi, trying to understand what makes her grandfather him now that he is falling into the lost world of dementia. Done in a way that, though we know the issue of the grandfather’s condition, it is just a magical story of a granddaughter and grandfather connecting. It has both a classical and modern tone to the overall feeling which comes out in the illustrations. They are colorful and modern but have a fantastic almost old world feeling to them. They are nicely done as companions to the story. As the illustrations really move things along, they are a good combination of reality and fantasy. They are softly created, but solid as well.
Following Cassi’s journey as she time travels via her grandfather’s memories was a little different, but we have done time traveling before. I do have one issue as the literal Grandfather Cause comes into play. SPOILER: By going back in time, Cassi actually changes a few events and yet, things are the same when she comes back. Is this literally what happened or did she imagine it? If you take the story literal (which of course you could do) then by doing so why haven’t things changed now? Or if it is more of her or the grandfather making it as it should have been or could have been?
Those questions are probably for the older reader and a conversation with the author. Still ages 10 and up (probably younger 14-15; adults) will be fine as they might take it more literally and why not let the bad things that happened be changed to a good thing? There are some themes that a sensitive reader might not be okay with (including the dementia of the grandfather, his reactions at times, there is some animal injury and fire) so know your reader.