Rudy can't believe it when his dad says he will have to watch his abuela while his parents go out. He shouldn't have to babysit his own grandmother! And he had plans to go out with his girlfriend, Juanita. His brother Manuel isn't happy either, and won't even consider watching Abuela alone. Nothing has been going right since Abuela moved in. Manuel had to give up his own room and move into Rudy's, and both boys are unhappy about losing their privacy. Abuela's forgetfulness and weird behavior has everyone worried, and Rudy's mom in particular spends lots of time crying. When Abuela disappears one day, they can't ignore the problem anymore. A trip to the doctor confirms what they feared: Abuela has Alzheimer's. What are they going to do? They can't lock her up, but they can't be with her every minute of the day either. As Rudy juggles everything going on in his senior year at Roosevelt High School, including his relationship with Juanita and his friends' attempts to convince him to enroll in college, his feelings of guilt grow. He can't help but wish he had his room to himself and that life would go back to the way it was before Abuela moved in. Rudy's Memory Walk is the eighth novel in Gloria Velasquez's popular Roosevelt High School series, which features a multiracial group of teenaged students who must individually confront social and cultural issues (such as violence, sexuality, and prejudice) that young adults face.
"...Gonzalez's internal battle depicts an inspirational and positive portrayal of the families affected by Alzheimer's. Educational and at the same time compelling, the novel raises teenagers' awareness on a topic considered taboo among Latinos."
