Sammy's Mommy Has Cancer

Sammy's Mommy Has Cancer by Sherry Kohlenberg is a young children's story about a little boy named Sammy whose mom gets cancer. Sherry Kohlenberg, the author, wrote this as a sort of autobiography as she herself had breast cancer. She wrote this book for her son, Sammy, in order for him to better understand what she was going through.

The story depicts Sammy observing the many different things his parents do every day. Mommy goes to work, Daddy works from home, and Sammy goes to school. Then one day, Sammy finds out that mommy is sick with something called cancer. The book goes on to describe the different events Sammy and his parents go through in the following months which includes hospital stays and mommy losing her hair. In the end, mommy's hair begins to grow back and she starts to feel better.

This book was a great story for very young children who would have a hard time understanding what cancer is and why certain things are happening. Designed for children between the ages of 3-5, this book is very simple and tells a happy ending story of mommy getting better. At the end of the book, there is a glossary filled with the many medical terms and procedures someone with cancer will go through. There is also a resource list of different books, videos, and organizations that will help grasp a better understanding. I would recommend this book to be included in the classroom because although dealing with a tough issue, it is still light hearted and is an important issue that many children will have to face.