Publication Date: 2 November 2023

The Blurb

Tucked up in bed at their new flat, a boy and his mum share memories. Some are idyllic, like a picnic with Dad, but others are more surprising: a fall from a bike into soft piled hay, the smell of an old oil lamp when a rainstorm blew the power out.

Now it’s just the two of them, and the house where all of those memories happened is far away. But maybe someday, this will be a favourite memory, too: happy and sad, an end and a beginning intertwined.

The Review

A sublime story about the importance of shared memories, and making them at every opportunity, and a testament to memories being an anchor to who we are in the ever changing sea of life.

I loved the tenderness between mother and son as they recalled events from the life before the flat in the city. I loved that while one part of their life drew to a close, we see them actively making new memories at yhe start of a new chapter.

The detailing and framing in the pictures deliberately draw your eyes to details that shine a light onto the emotions felt by the two characters.

Emotional, evocative, and empathy building, Sydney Smith once again provides a masterclass in creating stories that sing from the page out of everyday experiences.

Do You Remember? shows us how memories, whether joyous or tinged with sorrow, shape the story of our lives. This is a book that will linger in the heart, and one that invites readers to reflect on their own memories long after the final page is turned.

Huge thanks to Walker Books for sending me a copy.