Children's Literature Reviews

Kathy's Hats by Trudy Krisher 
Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

This is a story about a girl named Kathy who loves to wear hats on special occasions such as on Easter, at the beach, playing dress-up, and at baseball games. When she is diagnosed with cancer and the chemotherapy makes her lose her hair, Kathy no longer likes hats because they make her different from her friends with hair. With help from her mother, Kathy embraces her new hat and decorates it with pins from from friends. This story can be useful when a student in the class is going through chemo and will be returning to school.

The Lemonade Club by Patricia Polacco

This book is about two friends, Marilyn and Traci, who are very close with their teacher Miss Wichleman. When Marilyn is diagnosed with leukemia, the entire class supports her by also shaving their heads bald. Once Marilyn is in remission Miss Wichelman admits that she is also suffering from cancer and the three of them form the "Lemonade Club," striving to make lemonade from lemons. This book is a great illustration for students that cancer can be beat, and how they can support their classmates, friends and others with the disease.

Don't Despair on Thursdays! by Adolph Moser
Illustrated by David Melton

Self-proclaimed as the "children's grief management book," this short book is bright and full of comic book-like illustrations. It gives examples of types of grief (divorce, friends moving, loved ones becoming sick, etc.) and offers practical, everyday advice for how to get through a grieving period. With witty examples and funny scenarios ("Even sumo wrestlers cry!"), the book gives healthy examples of how to deal with grief. This book can be useful in a class or for a child who is dealing with the loss of a friend or classmate from any sickness. The format also makes it appealing to young boys who may normally shy away from so-called "grief" books.

The Boy of Steel by Ray Negron
Illustrated by Laura Seeley

This is a story about a boy named Michael with neuroblastoma.  He is a huge fan of the New York Yankees, and after a visit from second baseman Robinson Cano, he is given the chance to be a bat boy for game. The book follows Michael through his night at the stadium where he befriends another bat boy whose mother had breast cancer, has a dream or vision of previous Yankees such as Lou Gehrig, and conquers his disease for a night to live his dream of being a Yankee. The beautiful illustrations in this book provide a great jumping off point for conversations with children about cancer, especially if he/she loves sports.

Why, Charlie Brown, Why? by Charles M. Schulz

This classic book features the Peanuts characters that most children already know, which can be comforting for many children. It follows the story of Janice, a new girl in town who befriends the gang, especially Linus. When Janice is diagnosed with leukemia, everyone reacts differently. It addresses the disease, treatments, side effects, and other details that kids with cancer face. This is a great book for a class from Kindergarten through third grade, and the reactions of different characters can be used as a jumping off point for a discussion about emotions and how to deal with a classmate's diagnosis.

Going to See Grassy Ella by Kathryn Lance (134 pages)
This chapter book follows two sisters, Annie and Peej, on their adventure to meet a healer who might be able to help Peej recover from cancer. The girls travel from Columbus, OH to New York City (unbeknownst to their parents who are away for the weekend) and along the way encounter scary and new situations. Told from Annie's point of view, details about Peej's condition are shared with the reader, such as her hair is growing in wispy, she is about to start chemotherapy again, and she is on homebound instruction. Things do not go as planned on their search, however, and the girls miss their train, become friends with a teenager who lives in the subway, attend a Mets game, become kidnapped, and finally end up at the healer's house at the end. Her name is Graciella (which the children pronounce "Grassy Ella") and the characters all end up safe and sound at home. At the end of the story, Peej goes into a full remission and returns to school. This is a great book for an older student (possibly 4th or 5th grade) who has a sibling or friend that has been diagnosed with cancer. It doesn't spend a great deal of time going through the symptoms or effects of the disease, but instead focuses on how exciting and fun things can still be, even when someone you love is sick.