The Memory Key
Nigel Baines
Hodder Children’s Books

Lily Slade lives with her mum, Mum’s boyfriend Matt, his son Alex and her Grandad George. Train-loving Grandad has always been her hero but recently he’s been forgetful and confused: he has Alzheimer’s. Mum has started saying that with his deteriorating condition, Grandad will soon need specialist help in a residential home.
When it’s her turn to present her family origin story to her class at school, Lily tells how Grandad originally lived in Hungary and moved to the UK as a child when the political situation in Hungary became repressive. This prompts questions from her classmates but the most important question for Lily remains that concerning the fate of her Grandad.

Mum insists they all go and visit a care home but Lily remains determined to help Grandad get better, especially when his train and railway memories start coming to life magically.

However things start to spiral out of control especially when Lily loses the key to go back home. Will there always, as Grandad says from time to time, be light at the end of the tunnel? And will Lily be able to find it even when it seems impossible?

Enormously powerful and written with such sensitivity, readers cannot fail to be swept along to the end like one of Grandad’s trains. The straightforward explanations about Alzheimer’s are spot on for the target audience who will be hugely moved by the abundance of love between Lily and Grandad. They will also likely discover something about a part of recent European history that is new to them.