Books That Heal Kids: cancer

Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts

Book Review: The Goodbye Cancer Garden

Author: Janna Matthies
Illustrator: Kristi Valiant
Interest Level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: Albert Whitman

From the Book Jacket: One winter day. Mom and Dad tell Janie and Jeffrey that Mom has cancer. Soon the whole family goes to the doctor to ask questions. "Is Mom better yet?" Jeffrey asks. "Not yet," the doctor says. "But we're working very hard to make her better - probably by pumpkin time." That gives Janie an idea: to plant a vegetable garden. As the garden grows, Mom's treatment progresses - and when it's all done, there are healthy pumpkins and a recovering Mom!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I really admire families who do something proactive when they are going through a rough time. They also set an example for those around them. The Goodbye Cancer Garden is all about optimism, living in the moment, and sticking together as a family. Instead of solely focusing on fear and negativity of what might happen with mom's cancer, the family plants a garden honoring what they are going through and in my opinion....planting seeds of hope. 

Sometimes I pass over bibliotherapy because it makes the reader feel so down in the dumps. This is the opposite of that. It's going to empower your child and give them an opportunity to come up with their own idea. Maybe they will want to get a family project going. How cool would that be. Not only does it take their minds off the illness but it's very healing to be actively doing something during a difficult time. Bibliotherapy that teaches children to have a 'voice of hope' is much needed when you are fighting a family illness. This one came in the form of a garden inspired by a child's optimistic feeling. Beautiful.


PS. Last thought - I can also see myself reading this to a class to help kids come up with an idea to support another child or family going through cancer.

A Link to This Book:
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Book Reviews: You Are The Best Medicine and Brushing Mom's Hair

You Are the Best Medicine
http://www.youarethebestmedicine.com/
Author: Julie Aigner Clark
Illustrated by Jana Christy
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Watching a parent go through cancer treatment is scary. In this courageous and sensitive book, cancer survivor Julie Clark creates sweet and poignant memories that remind us how children can nurture their mommies at a time when optimism and love are most needed. Watch the book trailer below...


Why It's On My Bookshelf: Since I review children's books from a bibliotherapy perspective, I'm solely focused on the emotional aspect it offers to a child. Author Julie Aigner Clark has survived breast cancer twice - and after reading You Are The Best Medicine it is clear she knows exactly what healing words children need to hear from a parent during cancer treatment....love, emotional safety, honesty, and happiness. Cancer and happiness?? Yes, I said it - happiness. Because throughout the story, the mom keeps touching upon how the thought of her daughter brings her such happiness and keeps her going. The best medicine is her loving relationship with her precious child. I believe it's also the best medicine for the child. This is perfect bibliotherapy. What a beautiful reminder to stay focused on the positive. 


Brushing Mom's Hair
Author: Andrea Cheng
Illustrated by Nicole Wong
Interest Level: Ages 9 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Ann is just short of fifteen when Mom is diagnosed with breast cancer. How can she tell the girls in her ballet class that her mother had her breasts cut off? Her matter-of-fact sister, Jane, takes charge at home; her brother, Nick, calls from California; Dad helps when he can, as do friends, teachers, and relatives. Still, Ann is consumed with worry. Who's going to make sure that Mom drinks enough water, like the doctor said? Unless she is dancing or making pottery, Ann feels completely alone. She has a book that says "Don't sweat the small stuff. And it's all small stuff." Even cancer?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: It is possible for a book to reach out and touch a child's soul. Brushing Mom's Hair is phenomenal and it reaches out and just embraces the child. The author's own treatment of breast cancer and it's impact on her daughter are what make it so real. I'm always in awe of how poetry, when written from the heart, can be so healing. I'm also grateful this was written for teenagers because I get so many emails asking for more recommendations for this age level. This is an easy one to recommend. Andrea Cheng does not sugar coat her words or talk down to the reader. I thank her for that. I can see this inspiring a child/young adult to write their own poetry, journal, open up conversation, or just make them feel okay. I feel lucky to have this one on my shelf.

A Link to This Book:
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Book Reviews: Sky Memories and Rudi's Pond

Sky Memories
Author: Pat Brisson
Paintings by Wendell Minor
Interest Level: Ages 9-12 (not a picture book)

From the Book Jacket: "The year before my mother died, we gathered sky memories." So begins this poignant tale of a daughter who is forced to say goodbye to her mother too soon. Emily is ten years old when her mother is diagnosed with cancer. By the time Emily has turned eleven, her mother will have died. But through the painful last months of their life together, Emily and mom find a way to celebrate and commemorate their relationship. Together they take mental pictures of the sky in all its variety and wonder - the sky that seems to reflect the phases of Mom's illness and the vitality of her soul. Sensitive and insightful, Sky Memories gracefully conveys the heartbreak of loss and, ultimately, the comfort of memory.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: It's extremely difficult to find WELL WRITTEN HEALING grief bibliotherapy for this age group. Thank goodness for authors like Pat Brisson. She's done something incredible with Sky Memories for kids who are coping with a great loss. All of the difficult emotions and hard questions are tackled in this story. Emily goes through anger, sadness, denial, and acceptance.

Emily asks some very honest questions to her mother like, 'Are you going to die? Are you afraid of dying? Why doesn't God answer my prayers.' Pat Brisson doesn't try to make the hard parts "pretty" for your reading pleasure. I thank her for that. And I'll admit, even as a counselor it's hard to read this story because I know kids go through this.

What really blessed me about this story is when Emily gets angry after her mother's death, "There were bottles of pills on the nightstand. I carefully lined them up in a perfectly straight row along the edge of the table. I flicked the first one off the edge. It fell to the floor with a familiar rattle and thud. I flicked the next one harder and it fell harder from the table. The next one I batted with my hand and it flew halfway across the room. The last three I gathered up and threw with all my might at the far wall. The plastic containers shattered and pills flew all over the room. I burst into tears." Wow. The message: Kids, you get to be angry about your loss! Everyone's anger is going to look different. Throwing the pills across the room didn't seem like an unhealthy way to cope. I sort of went...YES, throw those awful pills, Emily!

Don't try and look for or force closure when you read this book. Grief doesn't work that way. There is a beautiful acceptance and understanding that seems to rise from every page to the very last word. Highly recommend this one.


Rudi's Pond
Author: Eve Bunting
illustrated by Ronald Himler
Interest Level: Ages 5-9

From the Book Jacket: Rudi is my best friend. He and I made a feeder for hummingbirds out of a bottle and a straw. "They'll come for sure," Rudi says. "If I was a bird, I'd come." But Rudi is sick, and Mom says he is sinking. Sinking is hard to understand. It is terrible when Rudi dies. Everyone in school wants to create something wonderful so we can remember him. We decide to build a pond next to the big knobby oak in the schoolyard. The feeder Rudi and I made hangs from the oak, and one day a special hummingbird arrives...

Inspired by a true story. Eve Bunting has written a touching account of the hope a young girl finds after a devastating loss. Ronald Himler's soft watercolor palette beautifully captures the story's deep emotion.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: When we lost a student to an illness, I read this book to the class. Yep, we all cried. What we learned from Rudi's Pond was how we can continue to celebrate the memory of our beloved friend and student. Let me tell you, the loving and caring spirits of children are a magical thing. I've witnessed a lot of healing in children just from creating special memory boxes, cards, or even the planting of a tree in honor and gratitude.

Creating cards for Rudi when he is in the hospital.....
In this story, Rudi's classmates help to build a pond by a tree in his honor. Rudi's best friend also hangs a hummingbird feeder that reminds her of their friendship. She starts to see a hummingbird each day and it feels like a very special sign to her. Even though he is gone, the sign reminds her of his presence in her heart. Oh wow - now that is healing for kids to hear! 


This is a touching and beautiful story. Sometimes it's hard to talk about the, "Where do we go from here?" question. This has been more than helpful since the kids are looking to me for answers and hope. Peace. That's what we feel after reading Rudi's Pond.

A Link To These Books:
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Book Review: Where's Mom's Hair?

Author: Debbie Watters, 
with Haydn and Emmett Watters
photographs by Sophie Hogan
Interest Level: All Ages


About This Book: When the author underwent chemotherapy following cancer surgery, she faced the loss of her hair with courage and humor. Family and friends gathered for a "hair-cutting party," where her husband and two young sons (through whose voices the book is narrated) joined her in getting buzz cuts, resulting in "one big prickly-headed family!" Striking black-and-white photos record the party events as well as the chemotherapy appointments, Mom and the boys mugging in hats and wigs, and the woman's hair re-growth. With successful treatment concluded, the family hosted another party where everyone except the guest of honor wore a hat or wig. The warm support of a compassionate community of friends and loving family is apparent on every page as Watters and her sons encounter the changes and questions brought on by cancer. The gentle kindness conveyed in the often-humorous writing will reassure young children facing similar circumstances that it is indeed possible to cope well with a parent's cancer.


"you just don't know how you are going to feel when someone you love
is losing their hair because of cancer." 


Why It's On My Bookshelf: Where's Mom's Hair is a REAL tool for children going through the experience of cancer. My favorite thing about the book is the pictures are not illustrations but actual family photos. It's comforting for children to see they are not the only family dealing with the change cancer brings to a family. There are so many discussions that can happen with reading of this book. Not only do parents need cheering up, but so do kids. Feelings....there are so many feelings when dealing with an illness. Where's Mom's Hair is a solid resource for your bookshelf.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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