Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease [Hardcover]

Bonnie Kruszka (Author), Richard S. Cihlar (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2004 | Age Level: 3 and up

For children, a diagnosis of celiac disease and an abrupt change to a gluten-free diet can bring about an overwhelming number of questions and concerns. What is gluten? Why can't I eat cake, cookies, and chicken nuggets like everyone else? What do I tell my friends? Answers to these and many other questions are provided in this book. Written by the mother of a child with celiac disease, who also has the disease herself, this book offers a reassuring look at celiac disease in language that a child can easily understand. This fictional story is based on the real-life experiences many newly diagnosed children face. Five-year-old Emily and her parents wonder why she's not feeling well. Her belly is swollen, and she feels moody and sick. A trip to the doctor raises some concerns and further tests show that Emily has celiac disease. Emily talks about what food she can and cannot eat, how her Mom buys special gluten-free food, and the need to stay on a gluten-free diet at restaurants, birthday parties, friends' houses, school, and camp. With its light-hearted, colourful illustrations, the book helps children to see that having celiac disease is not so scary after all. Emily acknowledges that having celiac disease is sometimes tough, but talking about her feelings with her mom always makes her feel better. She knows that celiac disease is only part of who she is -- she also likes to jump rope, paint, tell jokes, and pick flowers! This book's positive message will be a huge boost to children with celiac disease, especially those who have been recently diagnosed. Ages 3 to 7 years.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–Young Emily explains that when she was five, she was diagnosed with celiac disease, a lifelong digestive disorder. She cannot eat anything containing wheat, barley, or rye because she cannot digest the gluten. Her mom acknowledges the difficulties of the condition and tells her she is special because she can jump rope and paint, and also because she must eat gluten-free. Charming watercolor illustrations depict the child as she undergoes tests leading to her diagnosis, and as she goes to school, restaurants, and camp, where she encounters situations that can be difficult due to her illness. Information is presented in a friendly and straightforward manner. This kind and calming book never condescends, and will be a useful addition for parenting resource collections.–Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Bonnie J Kruszka has a degree in chemistry and pre-medicine from Michigan State University. Currently she is pursuing a doctorate in nursing and plans to be a Nurse Practitioner in the field of family medicine. A dedicated advocate of celiac disease awareness, she and her family live in Cleveland, Ohio.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Woodbine House; 1st Woodbine House Ed edition (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890627623
• ISBN-13: 978-1890627621
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,645,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Children, September 24, 2005

By 

Jackie Igafo Teo (Jackson, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease (Hardcover)

Eating Gluten-Free with Emily is a children's book that not only explains a gluten-free diet, but also details Emily's digestive symptoms and the route from doctor to blood draw to scope to get the diagnosis. The illustrations are colorful and cute. The story, which is told from Emily's perspective, explains celiac disease in a way that children understand, and gives examples of what foods contain gluten and which ones do not. Emily also explains how she deals with real-life situations, like camp and birthday parties. My favorite line in the book comes from Emily and her mom when they question restaurant staff: "We say, 'We are gluten detectives. Answer the questions, please.'" This book has been helpful to my family in two ways. My five year old daughter is autistic, and has been on a gluten free/casein free diet for four years, and it has given her twin brother and older sister a perspective of what a special diet is like for their sister. Additionally, my elder daughter is about to see a pediatric gastroenterologist, to rule out (or in?) celiac disease. This book has given us a wonderful opportunity to talk about the process of going to the doctor and making dietary changes. Seven year old Mikalea tells me she thinks this book is good because it shows that Emily is just a regular kid who needs to eat special food. Bridges4Kids Review by Penny Ray

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, January 11, 2005

By 

T. Roberts - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease (Hardcover)

This book does a wonderful job of educating the youngest & oldest about Celiac's. It takes you through pre-diagnosis to living & managing the diet. My 2 year old loves to read about a little girl like herself who meets a little boy who also has Celiac's. She feels special everytime that we read it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for Celiac's!, February 4, 2006

By 

Wayward "waywardwind" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease (Hardcover)

I think this is a WONDERFUL book, appropriate for any child with food issues. My kids do not have gluten sensitivity/Celiac's disease, but they do have food intolerances.

This is the first book I've found that is perfect for both of their levels (4 and 8) and embraces that a way of eating is just one of many, many things that make you special. It shows Emily feeling sad because she's left out, or "different" and it shows her triumphing "Eating gluten free is healthy for me!" Rather than focusing on one small aspect (diagnosis, or trouble at school) or trying to explain the disease, this book just tells about a normal little girl, leading a normal life and the few things she has to do different because she has to be "Gluten Free".

One note, it does mention "diarrhea" which may make some kids giggle, or others embarressed to read in a group setting. This is only one page, attention is not drawn to it. The tests that Emily goes through for diagnosis are not described in detail.

We borrowed it from the library, have read it over and over and will be purchasing it. Thank you to the author for filling a much needed void in children's literature.