This Last Adventure - by Ryan Dalton

About the Book

"When Archie's beloved grandpa is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Archie tries to slow the progression of his grandpa's memory loss through shared role-playing fantasies. But he has to face the reality of what he's losing"--

Book Synopsis

When Archie's beloved grandpa is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Archie desperately wants to slow the progression of his grandpa's memory loss.

Using Grandpa's old journal entries as inspiration, he creates shared role-playing fantasies with epic quests for them to tackle together--allowing Grandpa to live in the present and stay in touch with his fading memories. But as Grandpa's condition gradually worsens, Archie must come to terms with what's happening to his hero. The limits of the fantasies, revelations about Grandpa's past, and a school project about the future force Archie to grapple with what it truly means to live a life worth remembering.

Review Quotes

"[A]n excellent book for students who are close to their grandparents and wonder about Alzheimer's."--Children's Literature

-- (6/25/2022 12:00:00 AM)

"[W]ill deeply involve--and move--its readers. An important subject and one that, altogether, is well-handled."--Booklist

-- (2/15/2022 12:00:00 AM)

"Dalton sensitively delineates the complexities of loss, hope, and love in this unusually rich and philosophical middle-grade novel."--The Horn Book Magazine

-- (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)

"This novel sensitively explores difficult issues with hope and warmth, creating believable characters readers will care about."--School Library Journal

-- (3/3/2022 12:00:00 AM)