Lil’ Boy
By: Barry K. Gibbs Jr.
This book started as a poem about my relationship with my Grandma. I decided to develop it into a book after she passed. I wrote Lil’ Boy as a way of dealing with the emotional heartbreak of watching as my Grandma slowly deteriorated from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. She was a woman who helped raise me. When I was young, I would spend my summers with her. She was a strong female figure in my life who I loved and admired. Unfortunately, I watched her gradually change into a different person. As the disease progressed I was hit with the harsh reality of my grandmother becoming disoriented and confused. She constantly misplaced things and randomly shifted through a range of emotions. She no longer saw me as her grandson, but as other people from her past. Eventually, she did not recognize me at all.
With over five million Americans affected by Alzheimer’s disease, I feel this book is not only an important part of my mourning process, but an important book for anyone with a relative affected by this disease. It is a source of comfort for young children dealing with the changes of a loved one impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.
I believe this book is particularly important for children and adults who find themselves thrown into the role of caregiver for a parent or grandparent. With the thoughtfulness of poetic language, this book is a reflective introduction to the effects of Alzheimer’s. Written from my childhood perspective, I express strong themes of love and support, while taking comfort in knowing that this disease did not diminish the love my Grandma had for her Lil’ Boy.
About the Author
I was born and raised in Miami, Florida, but I’m currently based in Brooklyn, New York. I studied theatre in high school and college. When I’m not working on children’s literature, you can find me in a coffee shop or on my couch writing the next best TV show or movie.
On May 7, 2020, I released my debut children’s book Lil’ Boy, illustrated by Australian artist Alyson Murray. Lil’ Boy was written in loving memory of my grandmother, Velma Cross. Stay tuned, for I am currently working on a second children’s book that will be released later this year.
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