The Year My Mother Was Bald

The Year My Mother Was Bald by Ann Speltz is an amazing book to give to a child who either has a family member going through cancer, or has it themselves. Written in a very unique form, this is a story as well as an informational and resource guide.

The story is about a little girl named Claire who discovers that her mother has breast cancer and she is afraid her family wont have a fun summer. Written in the form of a diary, Claire documents her family's experiences month to month as her mother is going through surgeries and chemotherapy. Each time Claire discusses an unfamiliar topic or word, there is a definition and explaination on the next page. For example, in July Claire says that her mom has to "have a little operation...called a biopsy" (Speltz, 12). Then on the next page, there is an explaination for children as to what a biopsy is and why it is helpful. A year goes by, and Claire's mom has gone through her treatments and her mammograms are clear. She then becomes excited for the next summer to begin again.

This book was an excellent and inspiration book that I would highly reccomend to any child dealing with serious illness in the family and even in the classroom as well. Unfortunatly there are many children that go through illness with their parents or themselves and I find it very helpful for kids to see books of children who are going through exactly what they are going through. Because the story is told through a child's eyes, this book is very easy to comprehend and discusses all the questions a child would have during this difficult time. I found this book to be amazing and would highly reccommend it to be placed in the classroom.