Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of motherhood with chronic illness is helping your children understand what is going on with your body and encouraging acceptance about how your illness may impact them. How can you help them develop empathy about what you’re experiencing, especially if your illness is invisible? Where’s the line between being honest and making them worry? What’s the best way to address their concerns in kid-friendly language? This is a topic that will likely need to be an ongoing discussion in your family – and sometimes reading a book together can help!
Here is a list of every children’s book we have reviewed on our site in alphabetical order, to make it easier to browse all the options. All of these books could be considered resources for helping kids cope with having a parent with a chronic illness, and often they can be useful even if the specific diagnosis mentioned isn’t your own. But please take a look at each individual review to find out if the book will be a good fit for your family!
We will continue to update this list as we post more reviews!
Abby Has Arthritis by Olga Chinka
Arthritis is Part of Me, Not All of Me by Jenni Rose
Dealing with Feeling…Worried by Isabel Thomas
Gentle Hugs by Lily Guzman
How Do You Care For A Very Sick Bear? by Vanessa Bayer
How Many Marbles Do YOU Have? Helping Children Understand The Limitations of Those With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia by Melinda Malott
In My Heart – A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
Kenzie’s Little Tree by Alison McGauley
Mommy Has To Stay in Bed by Annette Rivlin-Gutman
Mommy Sayang by Rosana Sullivan
Mommy’s Going to the Hospital by Josie Leon
Mommy What’s Wrong? by Jessica Hensarling
My Mom is Sick and It’s Okay by Angie McPherson
My Special Butterfly by Kelli Roseta
Noah the Narwhal – A Tale of Ups and Downs by Judith Klausner
Ravyn’s Doll – How to explain fibromyalgia to your child by Melissa Swanson
Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
Some Days: A Tale of Love, Ice Cream, and My Mom’s Chronic Illness by Julie A. Stamm
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
The Perfect Shelter by Clare Helen Welsh
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
Ruby Finds A Worry by Tom Percival
What Does Super Jonny Do When Mom Gets Sick? by Simone Colwill
When Mommy is Sick by Ferne Sherkin-Langer
When Pete’s Dad Got Sick by Kathleen Long Bostrom
Why Does Mommy Hurt? Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of Having a Caregiver with Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, or Autoimmune Disease by Elizabeth M Christy
Wonder Mommy by Jennifer Senne
