Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, written by Mem Fox, is a book I get lost in over and over and happens to truly be my favorite children's book of all time. The story follows a little boy who lives next door to an elderly care facility and meets a woman with four names just like him, Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper. Miss Nancy has, unfortunately, lost her memory, and Wilfrid makes it his mission to find it for her! As the story unfolds, Wilfrid asks many adults the question of "what is a memory?" Through the answers given, he does his best to put together what he believes her memory will consist of.

To me, this story holds so many values about care for life, friendship, companionship, and memory, and how these things are tied into our life during all stages. There are moments in the book that will evoke both joy and tears, and the emotions are felt consistently throughout the book. Fox has a way of allowing you to fall in love with the characters and really become invested in the story through both words and illustrations.

I recommend this book as a read aloud in the midst of talking about human relationships and the importance of connection, empathy, and understanding. This is a book for students kindergarten through third grade, but could potentially be used as a part of a text set for older students studying about a variety of moral issues, human development, and person-to-person connection. It is such a well-written story filled with attractive and captivating illustrations.
Kaitlynn DeGrano