After talking to your child about a cancer diagnosis, books can be a helpful follow-up to encourage learning more about cancer, exploring feelings and asking questions. It can also be a nice opportunity to spend quiet time together or give your child some autonomy to learn independently. Books are available for different age groups and developmental stages. It is important to choose books that are appropriate for your child by not only looking at the recommended age on the book, but also by looking through the book in its entirety.

The American Cancer Society offers:

• Mom and the Polka Dot Boo Boo tells a story about a young mother’s journey through breast cancer (ages 2-5)
• Our Mom Has Cancer helps children understand and cope with a parent’s cancer (ages 5-12)
• Our Mom is Getting Better and Our Dad is Getting Better helps children understand a parent’s special needs when recovering from active treatment (ages 5-12)
• Because Someone I Love Has Cancer offers activities to help children navigate a loved one’s cancer experience (ages 6-12)

Kids Konnected has great resources for children and teens, including Moxie, a story about friends helping each other when a parent or family member has cancer

KidsCope has a free comic book called Kemo Shark to help kids understand cancer and chemotherapy.

The National Cancer Institute has excellent free booklets to help teens cope with cancer:

• When Your Parent Has Cancer: A Guide for Teens
• When Your Brother or Sister Has Cancer: A Guide for Teens

If you choose to share books with your child about cancer, be sure to check in with them to see if they have questions about what they read or if they want to talk about it.