It was tough to put this list together because I kept thinking of the kids and families these books are written for. I wish nobody needed a list like this. I hope that someday nobody will. In the meantime, a book can help when talking about something difficult, or it can just let someone know that others have gone through the same thing. So here is a list of books that could help with talking to kids about cancer. I have not read any of these books so I've included the description from Amazon.
For younger readers:
Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy
Told through the eyes of it's title character, this book uses candor and comic reality to dispel stereotypes and acknowledge some moody truths faced by families LIVING with cancer. "Mommy's wig was still attached to her head, but she didn’t look so good. The wig-hair stuck out like snarled rat-tails in all directions. There was a crooked horizontal line right where her smile should be. Worst of all she was in no mood to play Tickles Tabitha." A poignant and humorous account of a Mommy’s moodiness, caused in part by the medicine she must take to cure her cancer. It's about a family that loves one another, minus the sap. Instead it reads like it could be your family; not the family you think you ought to be. Expect young readers to ask to be tickled until their faces turn pink! 
Where's Mom's Hair? (A Family's Journey Through Cancer)
Narrated by the son of a cancer patient, this tells how his family prepared for his mother's postsurgery chemotherapy treatment. At a hair-cutting party, family and friends had their locks shorn in sympathy and solidarity. Although the focus of the text is on hair loss, the narration does provide a simple, direct explanation of chemotherapy with snapshots of his mother's treatment and subsequent hair loss. Once the treatment ended and her hair returned, it appears his mother made a successful recovery. The black-and-white photographs are arranged in scrapbook fashion, accompanied by explanatory text that rings true to a child's voice and perceptions. The candid photos show kids and adults in happy, pensive, playful, and worried moments. Warm and upbeat, this photo album will provide a good springboard for discussions of chemotherapy.
Our Mom Has Cancer
A humorous, honest, and hopeful account of the year that Abigail and Adrienne's mother underwent treatment for breast cancer.
A humorous, honest, and hopeful account of the year that Abigail and Adrienne's mother underwent treatment for breast cancer.
Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer...a hopeful, helpful book for kids
This is a listen-to or read-aloud book for children. It is a resource that can be used to educate and support any child who is facing the cancer of a loved one. The story, as told through the eyes of a child, lends itself to a simple and clear understanding of cancer. It also teaches children to realize the power they have to be an active and integral part of a loved one's cancer journey.
Our Mom Is Getting Better
Written for children whose parents are cancer survivors, this thoughtful and engaging book address important survivorship issues to help families move on after treatment ends. Containing a message of hope and healing, the topics include the possibility of recurrence, continued fatigue, pain, and other symptoms, exercise and diet, proper rest and sleep, and returning to work and social life. (They also have one for Dads.)
Written for children whose parents are cancer survivors, this thoughtful and engaging book address important survivorship issues to help families move on after treatment ends. Containing a message of hope and healing, the topics include the possibility of recurrence, continued fatigue, pain, and other symptoms, exercise and diet, proper rest and sleep, and returning to work and social life. (They also have one for Dads.)
For preteens and teens:
Our Family Has Cancer Too
Providing comfort through the knowledge that "you are not alone," Our Family Has Cancer, Too! Is an ideal gift for children ages 7-12 whose families have been touched to cancer. A special "Questions to Ask" section invites kids to write down their questions for parents, doctors, teachers, and others. Additional worksheets inspire family members to draw and record their feelings for later discussion. Powerful "Stop and Discuss" suggestions throughout the book encourage dialogue between parents and children. The book also contains a glossary of the most common words kids might hear when someone in their family has cancer.
Ida B: . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
As an only child, Ida B has had plenty of time to indulge her creative bent. She makes miniature rafts, to which she attaches notes with questions such as, "What is life like in Canada?" Acres of apple trees are her friends, and she enjoys long conversations with Beulah, Pastel, Henry VIII, and other trees. She lives life to the fullest, firmly believing there is never enough time for fun. When her mother develops cancer, her parents sell part of the orchard and send Ida B to public school rather than homeschooling her. The changes leave her feeling fiercely angry and betrayed. With the help of a wise and caring fourth-grade teacher and the enduring love of Mama and Daddy, the girl slowly begins to heal.
Both Sides Now (Readers Circle)
Fifteen-year-old Liza is the antithesis of the stereotypical teenager. Buttoned-down and straight-laced, Liza thinks carefully before she speaks, jogs regularly, and doesn't waste her valuable time on tantrums or tears. "If you don't plan, you'll get taken by surprise, and I don't want that to happen to me. I want to plan for everything so that I can have a good, successful life." But the one thing that Liza could never have planned on was her mother Rebecca getting breast cancer. With her mom's diagnosis, Liza is abruptly launched into a world without rules or meaning. Her characteristic sense of responsibility shot, Liza flunks driver's ed, forgets to fact check an important school newspaper article, and gets drunk for the first time. Suddenly, she begins to understand how her mother must feel, having to take life as it comes, and not being able to control every outcome. "Maybe I never understood anything.... Everything I knew--about Mom and Dad, about myself... has been wrong. It makes me feel stupid for the first time in my life. I'm not as smart as I thought I was. That's clear."
You can donate to breast cancer research here. If we all give a little, we could make a big difference.
This is a great list... thanks for taking the time to put it together.
ReplyDeleteThanks SO much for linking and joining in making this day so special Lorie.. I'll certainly have to check out some of these books, you always have the best lists : )) Thank YOU so much for joining in today, ~ xoxox.. Marilyn..Wishing you an amazing weekend.. : ))
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this list :) I just wrote a post about how the first time I heard about breast cancer was when my teacher read us a story about death and acceptance. It somehow made us as students understand the seriousness of breast cancer. Again, thank you.
ReplyDeleteWow, thank you so much for opening my eyes to this awesome selection of books. As a teacher I really should have known better. This is a wonderful post!!!
ReplyDeletexo Kimba