Kid Support Short List

The Year My Mother Was Bald
by Ann Speltz
Illustrated by Kate Sternberg (Washington D.C.: Magination Press, 2003.

Clare's journal and scrapbook the year her mother is diagnosed with cancer and goes through treatment. Clare tells her story and shares her feelings. Young readers will learn to understand the science of cancer and its treatments and will take comfort in knowing that their feelings are normal. Includes a list of resources. Ages 8-13.

"Helping Your Child Deal with a Cancer Diagnosis in the Family"

Tips from the American Cancer Society on how to help children cope with a family member's cancer diagnosis

Cancer in the Family: Helping Children Cope with a Parent's Illness
by Sue P. Heiney, Joan F. Hermann, Katherine V. Bruss, and Joy L. Fincannon Atlanta: American Cancer Society, 2001.

An indispensable guide for parents that includes activities and other "hands-on-tools" for helping children cope. Also includes a special illustrated workbook to help even very young children record their thoughts and feelings.

Talking About Your Cancer: A Parent's Guide to Helping Children Cope
(Video)
Fox Chase Cancer Center, 1996.

To order, call the Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia, PA) at (215) 728- 2668, or send the center a FAX number at (215) 728-2924).

Sammy's Mommy Has Cancer
by Sherry Kohlenberg
Washington, DC: Magination Press, 1993.

A warm and positive picture book for younger children, supplemented by the author's suggestions for helping children cope. Ages 3-8.

Our Mom Has Cancer
by Abigail and Adrienne Ackermann
Atlanta: American Cancer Society, 2001.

Abigail and Adrienne wrote and illustrated this book to share their personal experience with other children. Ages 5-9.

Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers for Young Women
by Carole G. Vogel
Twenty-First Century Books, 2001.

Provides general information about breast cancer and related issues. Winner of the Joan Fassier Memorial Book Award for excellence in writing about children's health, this book was originally published under the title, Will I Get Breast Cancer? Questions and Answers for Teenage Girls. Includes a list of books for further reading. Ages 12 and up.

"Breast Cancer: Common Reactions of Children and How to Help"
by Jane Brazy, M.D. and Mary Ircink, R.N.

"How to Support Your Children When Someone They Love Has Cancer: Sharing the News and Helping Them Understand" (Chapter 9), in When Life Becomes Precious by Elise NeeDell Babcock. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1977.

When a Parent Has Cancer: A Guide to Caring for Your Children
by Wendy S. Harpham
New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997.

Includes Becky and the Worry Cup, an illustrated children's book that tells the story of a seven-year-old girl's experiences with her mother's cancer. Also has several helpful appendices, including a glossary of cancer-related medical terms for kids, a list of resources for parents and children, and an annotated bibliography.