Does She Still Know Who You Are?
An illustrated book about dementia, care and family
Written and illustrated by Claudi Kessels
THE BOOK
Does She Still Know Who You Are? is an illustrated book for adults about dementia, care and love. A daughter tells the story of her mother, and of a family learning to live with dementia. It is personal and observational, with difficult moments, humour and ordinary family life.
Approx. 140 pages · 160 × 220 mm · illustrated throughout in colour
Full synopsis and more sample pages available on request
Here are a few spreads and illustrations from the book.
I’d be so happy to send you more pages or the full dummy
STRUCTURE
The text, artwork and layout are still in development. The dummy is structured in five main sections:
- Mum and dad live together as dementia increasingly disrupts their daily life.
- Dad dies suddenly. The family takes over mum’s care, taking turns staying with her in her apartment.
- Mum moves to a closed ward.
- Mum moves to a semi-private, open care home.
- Appendix: A collection of conversations with care professionals and specialists about dementia and some of the things I encountered while caring for my mother.
ORIGIN
It all started with a comic I made for a challenge organised by Inkygoodness with New York Times art director Sarah Habershon. The comic was named Runner-Up in the Northern Illustration Prize 2025.
While making it, I realised how much I missed a personal and honest book about what it is like to live with dementia as a family. Other people seemed to recognise that too. I wanted to make that book.
