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This Last Adventure

  • Interest Level: Grade 5 - Grade 8
  • Reading Level: Grade 5

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.

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978-1-5415-9928-4
 $13.49
979-8-7656-4334-1
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978-1-7284-5121-3
 $22.99
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Interest Level Grade 5 - Grade 8
Reading Level Grade 5
Category Diverse Books: Mental Health & Neurodiversity, Diverse Books: Physical Disability & Illness, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning
Copyright 2022
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Carolrhoda Books ®
Language English
Number of Pages 304
Publication Date 2022-02-01
Text Type Fiction
BISACS JUV015020, JUV013100, JUV039050
Dewey [Fic]
Dimensions 5.25 x 7.5
Lexile 650
Guided Reading Level X
Features Author/Illustrator biography, Author/Illustrator note, Awards, Reviewed, Teaching Guides, and eSource

Awards

  • Notable Award School Library Journal Best Book of 2022, Winner, 2022

Reviews

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)

Reviewed on 25 June 2022

“[A]n excellent book for students who are close to their grandparents and wonder about Alzheimer’s.”—Children’s Literature

The Horn Book Magazine

Reviewed on 1 May 2022

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

School Library Journal

Reviewed on 3 March 2022

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

Booklist

Reviewed on 15 February 2022

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

Aprilynne Pike

“A sensitive, touching story . . . With a family history of the disease, I can’t wait to hand this book to the younglings in my family.”—#1 New York Times Bestselling author Aprilynne Pike

Christina Collins

“As empowering and inspiring as it is heart-wrenching, this book will no doubt comfort kids who are dealing with the emotions and struggles that come with watching an aging loved one go through changes, whether from Alzheimer’s or another condition.”—Christina Collins, author of After Zero

Dusti Bowling

“This Last Adventure has something for everyone: family, friendship, a little bit of fantasy, and a whole lot of heart. I loved it.” —Dusti Bowling, author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and The Canyon’s Edge