The Game I Will Never Forget

Onjali Q. Raúf has a rare gift for finding light in life’s toughest moments, and The Game I Will Never Forget is another wonderful example. It’s warm, funny, and full of heart, a story about family, memory, and the unexpected ways love can bring people together. The story does deal with the death of a family member and doesn’t shy away from everything that brings but it is dealt with in a sensitive and helpful way.

Zak’s life is going just fine. He’s a gamer, happy at school, and surrounded by good friends. But everything changes when his parents announce that his grandmother, Nani, is moving in and will be having his bedroom. Zak is horrified. Determined not to lose his space, he and his friends plot a series of clever (and slightly chaotic) pranks to make sure Nani won’t want to stay. But Nani is no easy target. She’s quick-witted, fierce, and seems to be several moves ahead of Zak at every turn.

As the battle of wits unfolds, something shifts. Zak starts to notice that Nani isn’t always the same. Sometimes she is sharp and mischievous, sometimes distant and confused. Then he discovers that she was once a world chess champion and his family also realise that Nani is living with Alzheimer’s, and her memories are slowly slipping away. Zak’s response is pure Raúf magic: heartfelt, hopeful, and determined. He sets out to learn chess, not just as a game, but as a way to reach his grandmother and bring back a part of who she was. He and his friends plan a madcap scheme to help her remember her former glory and, of course, they get the whole school on board!

This story is full of Raúf’s trademark humour and humanity. She never shies away from the harder truths, the sadness, frustration, and fear that come with watching someone you love change. But, as ever it is balanced with laughter, energy, and compassion. The intergenerational friendship between Zak and Nani grows into something truly special: two people connecting through patience, play, and love at the end of one of their lives.

As with all Raúf’s books, there’s a brilliant factual section at the end, explaining memory loss and Alzheimer’s in a way that’s clear, reassuring, and empowering for young readers. There’s even fascinating information about chess for those inspired to give it a try.

The Game I Will Never Forget is full of warmth, mischief, and hope and is a story that celebrates family, resilience, and the ways we can hold on to each other, even when memories fade.