Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way!
Long Covid Transformed My Mommy
by Sara Robitaille
Mariah Leach copy of this book from the author. She was not compensated for this review and all opinions are her own.
“Long Covid Transformed My Mommy” by Sara Robitaille fills a growing gap that most people don’t even realize exists: resources to help children understand what it is like to have a parent who has developed Long COVID.
Robitaille—herself a mother living with Long COVID—uses her own lived experience to write from the perspective of a child who’s mommy has Long COVID. The story uses imaginative comparisons and playful illustrations to translate complex symptoms into language that kids can grasp. For example, the child narrator describes her mommy as a turtle retreating from bright lights and noise, a hummingbird with a racing heart, and a bear struggling to wake from hibernation. These metaphors make the invisible visible, in a way that is accessible for young readers.
The child narrator also shares the impact these symptoms can have on her mommy, from a dragon shooting red hot anger out of her mouth to a melting popsicle with a sagging face. But there is also an overarching message of finding hope, gratitude, and joy. Throughout the book, the central message is clear: no matter what Mommy is facing—and even if her experience looks different from other mothers—her love for her child remains constant and unwavering.
Personally, as a mother raising three children while living with rheumatoid arthritis—a condition that shares many overlapping symptoms with Long COVID—I did have one hesitation. The line “Her body knows how to heal” gave me pause. It’s not entirely clear whether “heal” is meant in an emotional sense—learning to live within new limitations and still find joy—or in a physical sense, implying a full physical recovery. If the intention is the latter, it raises a slight concern for me, as so much about Long COVID remains uncertain, and I’m cautious about messaging that could unintentionally create false hope for children that their parent’s symptoms will fully resolve. At the same time, I can see how the phrase is meant to offer comfort and reassurance, and for families navigating chronic illness, there is always a tension between hope and honesty.
Overall, this book is a valuable tool to help children understand that while chronic illness may transform routines, it won’t change love or relationships. The closing pages emphasize connection, love, and resilience, and the tone is compassionate and validating, not just for children but for families as a whole.
The back of the book includes information and resources about Long COVID, along with a note of encouragement from the author. She also shared with me that the second printing will add a list of ways both children and adults can support a parent living with Long COVID.
The book is available for purchase at www.dottieloni.com. Bateman Horne Center, Long COVID Kids, and LongCOVID Families will receive donations from the sale of the books.
