IF MY MOON WAS YOUR SUN A Young-Adult Illustrated Novella With CD For All Ages by German Writer Andreas Steinhofel and German Illustrator Nele Palmtag

Chris Rice Cooper 

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“True Love At Its Strongest When Invisible.”

If My Moon Was Your Sun

*Written by Andreas Steinhofel

https://newsfrom

visible.blogspot.com

Illustrated by Nele Palmtag

https://www.

carlsen.de/urheber/

nele-palmtag/54482

*With cd audiobook and music by Georges Bizet and Sergei Prokofiev.

Narrated by Brett Barry

http://www.brett

svoice.comn

Published by Plough Publishing House

https://www.

plough.com/en/

topics/life/aging/

if-my-moon-was-your-sun

Finally there is a young-adult book with illustrations and a musical/narration CD that is beneficial to everyone.  There is

no exclusiveness in this book – it is for all people of all ages, all religions, all races, all economic backgrounds, and every one can identify in this book – we all have someone in our circle of family and friends with Alzheimer’s or know of someone who does.  

Nine-year-old Max skips school and kidnaps his grandfather and the free spirited Miss Schneider from the nursing home where his grandfather has resided for the past year.  The three get on the only getaway car they have – the city bus – and escape to the local park called Blossom Valley, where Grandfather first kissed Grandmother and asked her to marry him. 

They spend the entire day in Blossom Valley – the whole time the free loving Miss Schneider dancing away and laughing delightfully while Max and Grandfather lie down on the green grass next to each other and stare into the sky.   It is at this moment that Grandfather teaches Max a deep lesson about space.

       “Look,” said Max.  The moon had risen above the forest – milky-white in the blue sky, a quarter-moon that bulged out on the left side.  “Why can you see it during the day on some days but not on others?”

      “That depends on its position relative to both of the sun and the earth,” said Grandfather.  “At the moment it’s waning – in about a week it will be a new moon, and then we won’t be able to see it at all, even though it’s right up there above us.”

       “Why not?”

       “Because the sun will be shining on it from behind.”

       “So it’s still there, just not visible to us?”

       “Exactly.”

Max is then reminded of his Grandfather’s Alzheimer’s when Grandfather forgets who he is.  How can a Grandfather not recognize his own grandson, especially a grandson who loves his Grandfather to the moon and back?  Then in the next moment Grandfather remembers who Max is and all is well.  But then Max begins to worry:  what happens when Grandfather forgets and never remembers again?  Max tells Grandfather his fears and Grandfather places his hand on Max’s shoulder and with the other hand points to the sky.

“You can’t always see the moon, but you know it’s always there.  Right?”

Max nodded.

“Good.  Then that’s all you need to know.  That’s really all you need to know.  OK?”

And Max nodded once more.

     

All the readers will nod at this book, too, – and let the same lessons that Grandfather taught Max seep into their core.  There is nothing stronger than love – even forgetfulness.  And that is the hope that every human being should have.