Helpful books
As parents, we found the following books to be quite informative and helpful.
- Childhood Leukemia, by Nancy Keene. This book might be a bit overwhelming, but I would recommend it if you are looking for an overview of the entire treatment, some side effects to look out for, useful tips etc. I especially found the excerpts from various parents to be very helpful. For example, after reading this book, I requested the nurses and doctors for EMLA cream before each port access or injection. About the book:
“This most complete parent guide covers not only detailed and precise medical information about leukemia and the various treatment options, but also day-to-day practical advice on how to cope with procedures, hospitalization, family and friends, school, social and financial issues, communication, feelings, and, if therapy is not successful, the difficult issues of death and bereavement. Woven among the medical details and the practical advice are the voices of more than 150 parents and children who have lived with leukemia and its treatments. As many parents have already found, advice from “veteran” parents can be a lifeline.”
- The emperor of all maladies, by Siddhartha Mukherjee. If you want to know about the history of cancer and how some of the drugs we use today were developed, you will find this book to be very engaging. I didn’t know oncologists could write so well! About the book:
“Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and now a documentary from Ken Burns on PBS, The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificent, profoundly humane “biography” of cancer—from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence.”
Our kid loved these books, that gave hope and courage, while also being fun to read.
- The jester who lost his jingle, by David Saltzman. Our kid developed a special connection with this book on laughter, especially after she learned that the author (and illustrator) was himself a cancer patient. She enjoyed reading both the English and Spanish versions. About the book:
“David wrote and illustrated The Jester as his senior project at Yale University before his death from Hodgkin’s disease in 1990. His desire was to give The Jester, with its upbeat and hopeful message, to children facing serious challenges.”
- Berenstain Bears book series, by Stan and Jan Berenstain. A lovely set of books for children on various topics ranging from watching too much TV, eating junk food, bad dreams, playing fair, being brave and kind, speaking the truth. As mentioned in this post, our kid loved to read and re-read them! About the book:
“Stan and Jan Berenstain published the first Berenstain Bears book in 1962, and the series has gone on to capture the hearts and minds of children across generations and across the globe. In the 50+ years since “The Big Honey Hunt,” the Bear family has grown from three to five members; the Berenstain Bears have been translated into over a dozen languages; and over 300 million books have been sold worldwide.”
- Wherever you are, my love will find you, by Nancy Tillman. This came as a beautiful gift around Christmas time. About the book:
“Love is the greatest gift we have to give our children. It’s the one thing they can carry with them each and every day. If love could take shape it might look something like these heartfelt words and images from the inimitable Nancy Tillman. Here is a book to share with your loved ones, no matter how near or far, young or old, they are.”