Although Miss Olivia is unable to respond and doesn't always seem to notice her family, her daughter Angel and grandson Troy know better. They know that Momma Olivia has an inner life filled with beautiful memories.

Anything from a stunning sunset to the mention of her porch swing can remind her of her past, when she was just a little girl out on the farm with her papa or, more recently, at a birthday party shared with her daughter. Although she can no longer do the things she used to do or communicate her thoughts, she's still the Momma Olivia they know and love.

In tender terms children can understand, Lester L. Laminack gives voice to the seldom discussed tragedy of watching a loved one age and slip into the past. Constance R. Bergum's delicate watercolors softly express the love that holds a family together during times of hardship.