Our Dad Is Getting Better

I mean no disrespect when I bemoan the fact that there is a plethora of books about moms with cancer but almost none about dads. I'm glad all those books about moms exist, but it was really hard to find one that reflected the experience of our family, where my husband happens to be the one battling the disease. Given the fact that there seem to be only a few such books available, I was thrilled to find that this particular story so closely matched our own. That this book is written by children makes it that much more appealing to my children (8 and under), who now talk about writing a book about their dad. Because it is written and illustrated by kids, even my toddler seems to get a lot out of the book. But it's also good for the grown-ups because it reminds us of the often-forgotten perspective of the children who are struggling just as mightily as we are with dealing with cancer in the family. The topic is treated respectfully, simply, honestly and with a ribbon of hope woven through the entire story. In our case, Dad has been diagnosed with "terminal" cancer, but this little book has added to my hopes that maybe (just maybe!) the happy ending in this story might be shared by our family.