This is one of those rare picture books that does important emotional work without feeling like medicine. Mem Fox nailed the balance between addressing a difficult topic (memory loss, aging) and keeping it warm, hopeful, and genuinely touching.

The story works because Wilfrid is so earnest and specific—he doesn't just want to help, he actively seeks to understand what memory means by asking everyone around him. The objects he collects (a warm egg, a puppet on strings, a shell) are concrete enough for kids to understand while being metaphorically rich.

Yes, it's from 1985 and the watercolors have that soft, dreamy quality that dates it a bit. But unlike many older books, this one hasn't lost its relevance. If anything, as families become more geographically spread out and kids have less regular contact with elderly people, this book is more needed than ever.

It's not a page-turner—it's gentle and contemplative—so don't expect every kid to be riveted. But for families dealing with aging grandparents, or teachers wanting to build empathy and understanding, this is the book. It's earned its status as a modern classic.