(Courtesy of Dougy Center and followed by listing of Dougy Center podcasts)

Let My Colors Out
By Courtney Filigenzi    $11.95
This comforting book walks young children of cancer patients through the range of emotions they’re likely to encounter and provides a message of hope. A young boy uses color to express a range of emotions as his mother undergoes cancer treatment. Some days he’s sad, some days he’s happy, and other days he’s scared or angry. The boy comes to realize that these ups and downs are perfectly normal for his situation, and he does not have to feel guilty about his feelings.

Help Me Say Goodbye
by Janis Silverman   $9.95
HELP ME SAY GOODBYE is a workbook to help early grammar school aged children begin to think about and acknowledge their experience and feelings when someone important to them is terminally ill and subsequently dies. Each page offers a brief suggestion for drawing or writing in response to the anticipated or recent loss. Many of the activities involve consideration of others, including family and friends in the experience of loss.

My Sister Might Die
By Diane Zaerr-Brenneman  $14.99
Inspired by a curious 3 year-old whose little sister’s genetic condition would likely not allow her to grow up.

Someone Special Is Very Sick
written by Jim and Joan Boulden   $4.95
This is an easy to read workbook offering validation and support to young children grades K-2 concerned about the illness of someone they care about. A good conversation starter with the right amount of timely information interspersed with cartoon-like illustrations that appeal to this age group.

Gifts of Life
By Jodi Puhalla-Neumann, LSW   $6.00
An Activity Book About Someone Who is Very Special To Me and Who is Also Very Sick. This is a book about grief.  Its purpose is to teach children about grief, to recognize and express feelings of grief, to open communication between children and adults, and to teach healthy methods of coping. This book is designed to allow children to draw and color the pictures that tell their own story.  As the child to tell you about the pictures and feelings they represent.  Avoid making suggestions, or criticizing the art work.  Listen carefully, focusing on their ideas and suggestions.

A Teen’s Guide To Coping: When A Loved One Is Sick And Preparing To Die
by Fairview Hospice   $4.95
Here is essential help for teens to sort out their feelings, learn to cope, and answer questions when someone is dying. Guided journal pages help record thoughts and events and preserve memories. A small but thorough handbook for teens.

Gifts of Life for Teens: When someone in your life is faced with a life limiting illness
By Hospice of the Red River Valley   $4.50
When someone in your life is faced with a life limiting illness. This book was created to give you a place to explore your feelings. Your place might include journaling, reading, talking or not talking. It may encourage you to continue to find normalcy in your daily life without feeling bad about it.  Hopefully it will encourage you to examine your feelings and allow you to express these feelings in your own special way. This book can also provide tips for friends, parents and caring individuals who want to help a teen during a time when everything seems out of control. Everyone should feel free to use this book in the best way they see fit. There is no right or wrong way to use this book.

 
A Family’s Journey: A handbook for living with illness and finding hope.
By Patricia Ellen, Ginny Keegan and Frankie Odom   $15.00
When illness enters a family, it can be both a difficult time and an opportunity to strengthen family ties. This guidebook from The Center for Grieving Children’s Tender Living Care program shares stories of families and the ways they have found to deal with the ups and downs an illness brings. From the point of diagnosis, this book will help you and your children as you adjust to the changing realities of serious illness. At the end of each chapter are activities that will help you and your family to both explore the feelings that arise during illness and to celebrate family life.

What About Me?
written by Allan Peterkin  9.95          
What About Me? addresses the many complicated feelings and concerns of the well child who has a brother or sister who is sick.

 
Helping Kids Cope: When a Loved One Is Sick and Preparing to Die
by Fairview Hospice  $9.95
This booklet concisely explains how to talk with children about dying, visiting an ill person, participating in caregiving, and funerals and memorials. It helps parents identify both normal and troubled reactions to loss in children.

 
How To Help Children Through A Parent’s Serious Illness
by Kathleen McCue   $17.99
In this supportive, practical guide a leading child specialist explains the special needs of children whose parents are seriously ill and dying. She then carefully guides caregivers in what they can do to support children in gaining resilience to help them cope and grow across the lifespan.

Preparing The Children: Information and Ideas for Families Facing Terminal Illness and Death, Revised Edition 2012
by Kathy Nussbaum   $9.95
It’s difficult to know how to prepare for a journey of serious illness.  The fear of death often tempts us to focus exclusively on a cure rather than preparing our families for the possibility of death.  It seems easier to avoid the subject rather than face some difficult and emotional conversations.  Young parents may be especially prone to avoiding the subject of death as they fight desperately to get well and to protect their children from emotional pain.  They often feel they are “giving up” if they even discuss the possibility of death. However, most children cope much better with painful experiences if they are given honest information and preparation rather than protection from the pain.

When Someone Has a Very Serious Illness
written by Marge Heegaard   $9.95
To help children deal with their own serious illness or the illness of someone they care about. Drawings help children understand the effects of the illness as well and to express feelings. This valuable book will help families communicate and evaluate a child’s understanding and feelings about family change while teaching basic concepts of illness and healthy coping skills. Caregiving parents and professionals will find the Drawing Out Feelings Facilitator Guide

Illness In The Family: Children Confronting Uncertainty – DVD
From Partners in Parenting    $45.00
This unique 21-minute DVD, the only one of its kind, is an enlightening exploration of serious illness in the family, told from the healthy kid’s perspective.  The video weaves beautiful animated artwork and a story-teller’s narrative with heart-felt interviews with kids ages 4 to 16 as they cope with the roller coaster of shock, fear and uncertainty. The children share their needs, hopes and resiliency.  And the insights they developed along the way can be of great value to parents, teachers and other kids who find themselves on a similar path.

Books can be found at:

American Cancer Society           

Centering Corporation – 1-866-218-0101

Compassion Books – 1-800-970-4220