A Must-Read For Children Touched By Cancer

Children's author, Patricia Polacco, is somewhat of a hero at my daughter's elementary school. Ms. Polacco has been to our school several times and her books have brought hours of pleasure to my usually-reluctant reader.

Patricia Polacco at our elementary school

So when when I heard Lily's dad reading Ms. Polacco's book, The Lemonade Club, to our princess, I didn't blink an eye...until I started to listen to the plot of the book

 

which is about the usually adult topic of cancer.

Traci and Marilyn are best friends. One day Marilyn is being bullied about her weight while Traci stands up for her pal. Shortly thereafter, Marilyn begins losing weight and is tired all the time. The diagnosis: leukemia. With the help of the girls' teacher, Miss Wichelman who believes that “when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade,” the young ladies learn about how Traci's disease will be treated.

The Lemonade Club is an AMAZING book 

because it doesn't just gloss over the topic of leukemia. There is genuine shock when Miss Wichelman's class first hears of Marilyn's diagnosis.  Similarly, readers feel the horror and experience grief when Traci loses her hair due to chemo. But there's joy here, as well, as Miss Wichelman and her class welcome Traci back to class and astonishment when someone unexpected divulges that she, too, has cancer.

The book is a MUST-READ book for any child touched by this topic. 

It will resonate with children who have cancer or know someone who does. Best of all: it's a true store written by someone who was a witness to it all.

Do you know of any other books which might help a child touched by cancer?