Read Along with Elyssa
When a family faces a cancer diagnosis, finding the right words to explain what’s happening can feel overwhelming. That’s where reading together can make all the difference.
As a Child Life Specialist, I know that books are an important resource for children. We read together in session for many reasons: educating ourselves about what is happening in our house, identify feelings so we can learn how to cope, and fostering resilience to learn we not alone in our feelings – that someone understands what we are going through.
Elyssa wants to share with you how storybooks can gently help children understand cancer—whether it’s their own diagnosis or that of a sibling, parent, or family member. Through reading, kids can not only learn about illness in an age-appropriate way but also find comfort and language for their big emotions such as fear, sadness, confusion, and even hope.
Read Along with Elyssa from some of her favorite titles in the Center’s library. They are trusted, compassionate stories that families can explore at home! Each book is available through our Amazon affiliate links, making it easy to build your own collection of supportive, healing reads.
Books for children about cancer treatment and hair loss:
Helping children identify and express their feelings positively is important for their social-emotional learning, developing empathy, and building resilience. Feelings are neither good nor bad; they simply are. Kids need words to name their feelings, just as they need words to name all things in their world.
Cancer Hates Kisses by Jessica Reid Sliwerski
Author Jessica Reid Sliwerski was diagnosed with breast cancer four months after giving birth to her daughter. Through all the stages of treatment—surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, losing her hair—she thought about how hard it would be to talk to your child about cancer while coping with it. She wrote this picture book to give other parents and their children an encouraging tool for having those conversations—a lovingly upbeat book that is also refreshingly authentic and straightforward. With its simple text and heartwarming illustrations, Cancer Hates Kisses is relatable to any type of cancer.
The little girl in NOWHERE HAIR knows two things: Her mom’s hair is not on her head anymore, and it must be somewhere around the house. After searching the obvious places, the story reveals that her mother, who is going through cancer treatment, is still silly, attentive, happy, and yes, sometimes very tired and cranky. The little girl learns that she didn’t cause the cancer, can’t catch it, and that Mommy still is very much up for the job of mothering. The book, written in rhyme, explains the importance of hats, scarves, wigs, going bald in public, and the idea of being nice to people who may look a little different than you. It ends with the idea that what is inside of us is far more important than how we look on the outside. For any parent or grandparent, NOWHERE HAIR offers a comfortable platform to explain something that is inherently very difficult.
Using simple visuals, honest language, and a workbook format, The Dot Method helps untangle medical jargon and unfamiliar scenarios and present them in a way that makes sense to children and young adults. The workbook allows for different types of cancers, treatments, and outcomes to be expressed.
The workbook, written by a dual-certified child life specialist and licensed clinical professional counselor, includes: a how-to guide for caregivers and a glossary of child-friendly definitions of cancer terms. It teaches about cancer cells, treatment, side effects, and helps children identify feelings, their support system, and coping strategies.
Today I feel Silly: and other moods that make my day by Jamie Lee Curtis
This whimsical picture book about feelings helps kids explore, identify, and even have fun with their ever-changing moods.
About Elyssa Siegel
Child Life Specialist
As the Center’s Child Life Specialist, I’m here to help families navigate their cancer experience. I work with kids of all ages through hands-on activities that help ease anxiety, build coping skills, and give them a sense of control. My goal is to support both children and their families in building strength and resilience during a really tough time.
