Early Winter

Eleven year old Tim idolizes his grandfather who helped raise him before his mother remarried. When Grandad is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Tim decides to prove to the family that he is fine, just getting a little older. Everything seems fine when they sneak out on a secret fishing trip, but trouble soon appears--from forgotten equipment and supplies, to an accident on the water, to getting lost in the woods. Written by Marion Dane Bauer, this is a realistic, if slightly formulaic portrayal of Alzheimer's for a young audience. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2000.