Help your child learn about coping with illnesses.
For a printable copy of this list, click here: Books for Kids: Illness
The Memory Keeper
Jennifer Camiccia
“A heartfelt tale of an exceptional girl.” —BCCB “Poignant…heartwarming.” —School Library Journal Fish in a Tree meets The Thing About Jellyfish in this heartfelt middle grade debut about long-buried secrets, the power of memory, and th
Read More View in CatalogGoing to the Doctor
Anne Civardi
Jenny Jay has a cough, Joey Jay needs his immunization shot, and Jack Jay has a sprained wrist, so the whole Jay family goes to the doctor to find out how to get well.
View in CatalogSadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Eleanor Coerr
Hospitalized with the dreaded atom bomb disease, leukemia, a child in Hiroshima races against time to fold one thousand paper cranes to verify the legend that by doing so a sick person will become healthy.
View in CatalogTaking Asthma to School
Kim Gosselin
A young boy describes what it is like to have asthma, what happens during an asthma attack, and how his asthma can be treated and controlled.
View in CatalogTaking Diabetes to School
Kim Gosselin
Uses a simple story about a young boy at school to present information about diabetes. A young boy describes what it is like to have diabetes, how it makes hiim feel, and how it can be treated and controlled.
View in CatalogMostly Monty
Johanna Hurwitz
A shy boy with asthma starts first grade — and comes into his own — in this appealing story for early chapter book readers. Six-year-old Monty doesn’t have a brother, a sister, or a pet. What he does have is asthma, which sometimes makes it har
Read More View in CatalogMy Little Grandmother Often Forgets
Reeve Lindbergh
A child’s love for a grandmother with memory loss shines through in this deeply personal and lyrical tale from author Reeve Lindbergh. Sometimes Tom’s grandmother forgets the way home from the market, or that Tom’s name is Tom and not Roy. But
Read More View in CatalogMom Has Cancer!
Jennifer Moore-Mallinos, Marta Fàbrega
Told from a child's point of view, describes the symptoms and treatment of cancer and discusses the effects on the family of a parent with the disease.
View in CatalogIllness
Patricia J. Murphy
Describes the different types of illnesses, including such long-term diseases as cancer, Parkinson's Disease, and diabetes, and discusses how diseases are diagnosed and what treatment options are available.
View in CatalogThe Hope Tree
Laura Joffe Numeroff, Wendy Schlessel Harpham, David McPhail
A bestselling author and a physician draw on real-life experiences of children whose mothers have breast cancer for this story about a group of animal kids who form a support group.
View in CatalogThe Remember Balloons
Jessie Oliveros
A 2019 Schneider Family Award Honor Book! What’s Happening to Grandpa meets Up in this tender, sensitive picture book that gently explains the memory loss associated with aging and diseases such as Alzheimer’s. James’s Grandpa has the best ball
Read More View in CatalogThe Lemonade Club
Patricia Polacco
When Marilyn and her teacher, Miss Wichelman, both get cancer, they encourage each other and, aided by medical treatments and support from friends, they get better and learn that when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!
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Great-Uncle Alfred Forgets
Ben Shecter
A young girl takes her great-uncle, who is afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, for a walk and gently and patiently answers all his seemingly absurd questions.
View in CatalogWhat's Happening to Grandpa?
Maria Shriver
Becoming increasingly concerned when her beloved grandfather tells her the same stories repeatedly and then forgets her name, young Kate creates a photo album of their favorite shared memories to help them both cope with his progressing Alzheimer
Read More View in CatalogCancer Hates Kisses
Jessica Reid Sliwerski
As Mom goes through treatment for cancer, her family supports her with what cancer hates most: love.
View in CatalogMommy Sayang
Rosana Sullivan
In a Malaysian kampung, or village, lives little Aleeya and her dear Mommy sayang. Aleeya and Mommy do everything together, and in Aleeya's dreams, they dance among enormous hibiscus flowers. Aleeya loves to ask Mommy if she will always be by he
Read More View in CatalogFirst Aid for You
Rebecca Weber
Describes first aid techniques for different situations, including cuts, choking, and broken bones.
View in CatalogThe Tide
Clare Helen Welsh
A young girl spends a day on the beach with her grandpa, whose memories are starting to come and go like the tide.
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