Jill Pietroburgo, a local author who penned a children's book about Alzheimer's and other memory disorders, recently earned several awards and the book continues to earn positive reviews.
"Sometimes Grandma Calls Me Jean" was inspired after the 2019 dementia diagnosis of Pietroburgo’s mother, Bonnie Sullivant, and written by Pietroburgo with the hope she could help explain the disease to children with family members who have been diagnosed.
It took three first place wins in the International Firebird Book Awards in the categories of Children's Christian, Children's Multi-generational Family Life and Children's Relationships.
The International Firebird Book Awards said their judging panel includes a diverse group that represent a cross-section of ages, cultural heritage, races, religions, gender and experience, and two judges from a panel of 27 read each book and independently scored each entry. The score is based on a set of standardized criteria that evaluates the quality of the writing and production aspects.
It is also a nonprofit organization that pairs children's books with colorful handmade pillowcases which are donated to women and children experiencing homelessness, founder Patricia J. Rullo said.
Pietroburgo has a master’s of science degree in education and is an early childhood special education teacher in the West Plains R-7 School District. Through her career, she has worked with all ages of people with mental illness and neurological disorders.
The book is written for kids from age 3 to 8, and includes a visual aid to help children name and talk about the emotions they might be feeling when experiencing their loved one's condition.
The idea is important to Pietroburgo as both a story and a resource. She hopes both help families with coping skills and to encourage compassion and involvement in the lives of those diagnosed with dementia and other types of memory disorders like Alzheimer's.
"Sometimes My Grandma Calls Me Jean" was a finalist in the Indies Today book contest. Nicky Flowers of Indies Today reviewed the book and gave it a five-star rating, calling it "a visually engaging tool that helps families broach this difficult topic with their children" and noted the main character Grace "finds creative ways to maintain her connection with her grandmother while taking steps to make sure that everyone, especially Grandma, is cared for in the best way possible."
Flowers also offered praise for the illustrations by Heidi Jean that "breathe life into the story, urging readers to become emotionally invested in the special relationship between Grace and her grandmother."
The review ends with the suggestion that readers can use the book to help children "develop empathy and treasure their relationships in whatever form they exist."
Pietroburgo also had a unique experience during a trip to Turks and Caicos, a British territory in the Caribbean, when she read the book at the International School of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
She had approached the school about doing a reading, and discovered the mother of Indrani Saunders, the school's principal, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
It was also interesting, Pietroburgo said, because Saunders' husband, Erwin, is the Deputy Premier of Turks and Caicos, the equivalent of the United States’ vice president.
Back home, Pietroburgo read the book to West Plains Elementary students as part of a program highlighting the character trait of compassion in February and is going to have an interview today, Thursday, with Paige Husley of St. Louis-based KMOV television station and host of "Turn the Page with Paige.” That interview will air at a later date.
