Nonna, I Want to Know More About You: the same book, a different culture
When I published Grandma, I Want to Know More About You, the response was lovely. People liked the idea of a child sitting down with their grandmother, asking questions and drawing her answers.
But a few people pointed out something I hadn't thought about: not everyone calls their grandmother "Grandma."
Why I didn't just change the name
The easy thing would have been to swap "Grandma" for "Nonna" and re-publish. But that didn't feel right. A child with a Nonna often grows up with a whole world around her: the food on the table, the smells in the kitchen, the way the family gathers. Changing one word wouldn't reflect any of that.
So I decided each edition would be the same book, but for a different culture. I added three new prompts, all about what "home" means to her:
Nonna's favourite dish when she thinks of home
A smell that takes her straight back
Something from her home country that the rest of the world has copied, like cafés spilling out onto the footpath
I kept those prompts deliberately open. Your Nonna might have grown up in Italy, or she might have been born in Australia with Italian roots running through the family. Either way, "home" means something to her, and her answer is worth drawing.
Where the idea came from
The idea for this book started because as my mother aged I got to sit and look through her ‘brag’ book and relive all her wonderful achievements with her.
This book is a little different. It’s for those who can spend time with their grandmother or another older person because they still have them in their life. That's how I'd love families to use this book too. It isn't a quiz to finish. It's an excuse to sit together, slow down and listen.
How the book works
Greta, from Through Greta's Eyes, guides the child through the pages. For each prompt, the child asks Nonna a question, takes notes, and then draws her answer. It might be something special she has kept all her life, a place she remembers, or something that made her proud.
A few ideas for using it:
Spread it over several visits. Do a few pages at a time, perhaps with some treats to share.
Let the conversation wander. The drawing is the reason to ask. The stories that come out along the way are the real treasure.
Come back to it. Take it off the shelf in a year or two and ask the questions again. Nonna's answers may change, and noticing that together is a gift in itself.
No Nonna nearby? Nonno, a great-aunt or another older family member can join in instead.
A gift for Nonna, and for the grandchild
Nonna, I Want to Know More About You makes a thoughtful gift for Nonna's birthday, Mother's Day or Christmas. It also suits Grandparents' Day at school, or any time a family wants to capture Nonna's stories while they can.
Find Nonna, I Want to Know More About You on Amazon
And if your family says "Grandma," the original edition is here: Grandma, I Want to Know More About You