Sometimes we need a little bit of help to communicate and cope with a child’s cancer diagnosis. Kids are incredibly resilient, but both they and their parents and caregivers can benefit from extra resources. If you feel as though you’re struggling to talk to your kids about cancer – or you need some help yourself – there are some great books out there that will help you feel more equipped and less alone.
Here are our recommendations!
10 Books About Cancer for Kids, Parents & Caregivers
#1 - You Are So Much More: An Inspiration for Children Healing From Illness or Injury
This book from Serena Tejpar reminds kids that procedures, hospital stays, and their illnesses or injuries don’t define who they are. It’s an encouraging book without shying away from the tough parts of a difficult medical journey. Parents and caregivers can use this book to help their child reclaim inner strength and identity apart from cancer.
#2 - When a Kid Like Me Fights Cancer
Written by cancer survivor Catherine Stier, this entry gently helps children understand what’s happening to them when they receive a cancer diagnosis – without being scary! It’s hopeful and full of advice for kids and their caregivers alike. This is also a great book to share with siblings of pediatric cancer patients.
#3 - I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids
Though Gabi Garcia’s book is not specifically written for kids with cancer, it offers great advice to help kids connect with their inner voice and strength in the face of big challenges. It offers ways to mental resilience, perseverance, and a growth mindset that kids need to overcome life’s obstacles.
#4 - Amazing Annabelle: A Story for Kids Fighting Cancer
Author Dyan Fox wrote Amazing Annabelle in honor of her daughter who was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis. It speaks both to the very real and difficult journey of fighting cancer from the physical to the emotional, while also highlighting the incredible spirit in each child.
#5 - Cancer Party!: Explain Cancer, Chemo, and Radiation to Kids in a Totally Non-Scary Way
If you find yourself unsure of how to explain cancer and all that treatment entails, you aren’t alone. Author Sara Olsher (who also wrote What Happens When Someone I Love Has Cancer?) penned this book when trying to explain her cancer journey to her daughter in a way that didn’t cause anxiety. Accurate and honest, this book is best suited for kids diagnosed with survivable, not terminal, cancer diagnoses.
#6 - Suffering, Endurance, Character & Hope: A Story of Pediatric Cancer and a Mother's Love
This book isn’t just for mothers, but for anyone impacted by cancer. This faith-based book walks through the very real journey of author and cancer parent Abigail Walker. She shares her deepest feelings and the raw experience of navigating childhood cancer together with explanations of the more technical, medical side of things.
#7 - Hope for Families of Children with Cancer
For parents of kids with cancer, one of the biggest questions is “what do I do now?”
This book helps families navigate the trials of their child’s cancer journey while addressing hard questions with practical help, humor, and spiritual comforts. It can help parents who feel paralyzed by their child’s diagnosis.
#8 - My Kid Has Cancer: A Mother's Journey Through Childhood Cancer and Beyond
For parents, the moment your child receives a cancer diagnosis is gut-wrenching. Devastating. And for many, so isolating. The author doesn’t shy away from the fear and feelings involved in a world turned upside down by pediatric cancer, but it also presents hope and encouragement in the darkest of days.
#9 - Peace in the Face of Cancer
Another faith-based entry, those of other beliefs will still find merit in this entry due to its shared stories and positivity in the face of cancer. It reveals so many of the thoughts, frustrations, and fears both cancer parents and patients experience along their journey.
#10 - In Your Corner: A Caregiver's Survival Guide to Life, Love, Cancer, and Hope
Being a cancer caregiver is a tough calling. They often feel overwhelmed and helpless in the face of cancer. This book masterfully navigates the unknown of cancer, soothing both fear and pain with candidness and bravery. While not specifically written for cancer parents, they will no doubt find comfort in the raw experience of author Joel Hughes as a caregiver for his wife, Rebekah, throughout her cancer journey.