The Memory Keeper

Gr 4-7–Twelve-year-old Lulu has always been close to her Gram, who moved in with her family to help take care of her and her little brother Clay while her parents were dealing with a loss. While Lucy has Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) and can remember every day of her life in detail, Gram starts forgetting things, from where she parked at the mall to, momentarily, who Lulu is. When Lulu learns that trauma can cause memory loss, she decides to investigate Gram’s mysterious past to see if she can find a painful moment that is causing the amnesia, while also concealing Gram’s memory loss. Lulu finds Gram’s journal, written in Russian, and two different passports. With the help of her friends Olivia and Max, she tries to tie all the clues together. Chapters open with descriptions of different parts of the brain, foreshadowing the plot; readers may figure out the twists and turns before Lulu does. The subject matter is serious at times as Lulu discovers things about her grandma that she wasn’t expecting, but there are enough lighthearted moments for balance.