Books

Recommended books to help children and their parents understand more and cope with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

for parents:

• Harpham, W. S. (2004), When a Parent Has Cancer, Harper Collins.
• McCue, K. (1994), How to Help Children Through a Parent’s Serious Illness, St. Martin’s Griffin.
• Rauch, P.K., and A.C. Muriel (2006), Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child when a Parent is Sick, McGraw-Hill.

for kids to read with their parents:

• Ammary, N., and C. Risch (2007), In Mommy’s Garden A Book to Help Explain Cancer to Young Children, Cancer Care.
• Chilman-Blair, K., and J. Taddeo, What’s Up with Bridget’s Mom? Medikidz Explain Breast Cancer, American Cancer Society.
• Fead, B.H., and T.M. Hamermesh (2010), Nana, What’s Cancer?, American Cancer Society.
• Harpham, W. S. (1997), Becky and the Worry Cup, Harper Collins.
• Kohlenberg, S. (1993), Sammy’s Mommy has Cancer, Magination Press.
• McVicker, E., and N. Hersh (2006), Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings, Butterfly Kisses.

Good luck – and do search our site as well for the personal experiences of other Mothers With Cancer.  It’s not an easy road, but you’re not the first to take it.  You can be a component of a child’s support system and help them get through this tough time.  These books might help.  BUT – do your homework, please, and read through each book BEFORE you read it with a child.  Not all books are appropriate for all children and all stages of a parent or grandparent’s cancer.  For example, while the Chilman-Blair book is one of our absolute favorites for young kids into superheroes, it does use the words “when treatment is over…” and for those of us with metastatic cancer, treatment is never really over.