Customer Reviews

What Is Cancer Anyway?: Explaining Cancer to Children of All Ages

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How do you go about explaining something to your children that you have difficulty understanding yourself? Well Barklay and Eve make the process easier. This wonderful book describes the most complicated procedures in simple terms without talking down to children. I found the illustrations and story content charming and informative. Children will find the common hair loss of cancer a much less frightening process when they see the fun that Eve has with a wig. While dealing with cancer can't be made easier, Barklay and Eve can make explaining it easier.

My daughter has leukemia, a blood cancer. I was in search of books that would explain the disease process and a way for her to talk about some of what was going on. I thought this would be a good book. I was wrong!

Pros: this book includes an extended family (parents, kids, grandparents) and talks about the cancer simply and directly; addressing a few emotional concerns such as "can I kiss grandpa?" and "will I get sick too?".

Cons: the "kids" are drawn as dogs and the adults as humans. My bright 4 year old daughter asked why and how could puppies come from humans - and I had no good answer than to say the author stretched their imagination (I then had to explain that humans could only give birth to human babies). If the author wanted the family to be "mixed" why not use different ethnicities? At least then the characters would be the same species! Also, the book didn't address the physical side effects too well or give a way for the sick child to address their concerns of being ill, looking different, and most importantly - the possiblity of death.

If you need something for your sick child, get Chemo Girl by Christina Richmond. It is written by a 9 year old girl who had cancer. The book address feelings in conjunction with the chemo treatments while making the ill child heroic and knowing that s/he isn't alone in their fight for
their lives. Also check out the American Cancer Society workbook. It is aimed for kids with sick parents, but the questions can be directed to sick children as well. There is one more book whose title I can't remember, but it has a Cancer Team approach as well and explains the treatments in a more friendly and simple way.

As a volunteer chair of the Children's Activities Area for 10 years, I continually search for resource materials that are written for children under 12 years of age. Resources materials informing and reassuring children that the word `cancer' doesn't have to be scary; but, rather a word that is challenging. Sometimes children are "forgotten" while adults deal with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. How does a child know what questions to ask? That it is really, really okay to ask questions! Barklay and Eve answers many questions children may have while reassuring children in a simple, straight forward manner: through the medium of a coloring book. It answers common questions about cancer treatments and encourages children to ask questions. Parents or friends can read and discuss cancer with their children as they relax and color the pictures. We have distributed 100's of Barklay and Eve to parents, family members, children every year at our Race for the Cure.

I wasn't sure if this book would be too babyish for my 9 year old granddaughter, but she found it very helpful. There is a place for the child to write down questions for discussion and she did that. Both she and her mother were very pleased with this book.

The content is good but I was disappointed I spent so much on a book that was clearly printed off someone's home computer...