For the past several years I’ve focused much of my work at the Mansion on reading to the residents. I’ve read specially designed books for the memory paired,  tried novels and short stories, and lately have become to zero in on what really works for the advanced elderly, many with memory difficulties.

In my weekly reading sessions at the Mansion, I’ve gotten to experiment with many different types of stories – fiction, history, adventures, even romance. I think I’ve been breaking through lately. I judge my books and stories by the way the residents respond to them. How long do they stay focused? Do they smile? Have questions? Want more of the same

I’ve put together this book list for next week’s reading. They absolutely loved “The Wonky Donkey” by Craig Sith and Katz Cowley. It had repetition, plays on words, strong images and strange sounds.

The premise is very simple. The narrator is walking down a road and sees different donkeys – one has one eye, one smells, one is thin, one is handsome, one listens to country music. The story is silly, here’s the words from one page: “I was walking down the road and I saw a donkey, HEE-HAW, he only had three legs, one eye, he liked to listen to country music, he was quite tall and slim…and he smelt really, really, bad.

He was a stinky-dinky, lanky, honky-tonk, winky wonky donkey.”

With each sighting the words grew longer, and as it went along, the residents were laughing, clappy and repeating the words. Nobody nodded, dozed or got up and walked out. The residents are a tough audience.

I try to mix up the books. The residents love the novel called “An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good,” by Helene Tursten, the stories are about Maude, an 88-year-old not shy about murdering people who get in her way. The story itself – the very thought of Maud – was empowering to the residents, they were rooting for Maude every step of the way, she had power and courage and independence.

The stories are meant to be funny, and they are, but the premise is so original and against the grain (people often bring Bibles for the residents to read) that they are mesmerized by it, I read one-third of each story every week. Nobody wants to miss the next installment.

I got a book today I know the residents – many from farm families – will love. It’s called “Chicken Talk” by Patricia MacLachlan and Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and its about a dozen chickens who leave hilarious and impertinent messages for the farmer and is family in field every day. They made food requests, and insult the fox and his intellect.

The very title will grab the residents, and they will be entranced by the story. Same goes for a new book called “The Pirate Chicken,” story by Brian Yanish and Jess Pauwels about the feared and feathered pirate Redfoot and her all-chicken crew as they sail the high seas.

These are mostly children’s books with vivid illustrations, a lot of humor and irony. They are different, they go against the grain, they are much more challenging and funnier than most of the reading materials the residents ever get to see.

My goal is to stimulate them, surprising them, sometimes challenge them to step out of their own heads. I’m not looking to lecture them or offer them platitudes. I steer away from religious books, they see and hear about them all the time.

I am always building up the library of books in the Activity Room, the residents are reading more than ever. I do look for stories that are happy and uplifting. Even Maud is a character one can admire.

I have high hopes for “Babysitter From Another Planet,” by Steven Savage.

What I look for are narratives that are short, funny, surprising and fairly short.

I love reading to the residents, I always try to have something new to show them. I look for the look I got when I read the Wonky Donkey, they have asked me to read it every week, and this time I’ll have them read out aloud with me.