My Brave Friend is a special book for young children. It focuses on Noah, a first grader, who notices his best friend Emma did not come back to school after winter break. His teacher explains Emma is in the hospital and she has cancer. The book uses calm, simple language that is easy for children to understand. It explains what it is like to be a patient in a children’s hospital and also that cancer is not contagious like some other illnesses.
Emma joins her classmates at school via video calls. During the calls the reader will notice she wears a scarf on her head, but the book does not address that. It’s a good talking point for older children who may notice and have questions. However it’s not in your face for younger readers where it’s something else you have to explain and cause worries.
Noah organizes a fun way to keep the class engaged with Emma while she is in the hospital. It’s a nice example of friendship and helping others. The book ends with Emma, Noah, and classmates starting second grade.
The Verdict
I liked this book for children ages 4-10. The simple, reassuring words help children understand a little about cancer. It does not go into many medical details or talk about medications, symptoms, or hospital details. I appreciated that it did not show too much of this for the younger children. Even with reassurance from parents, too many details could cause upset or worries. My favorite part of the book was seeing how the class was able to include Emma from the hospital. Another key element was that Emma will always be Emma. She may have looked a little different or been feeling sick and tired, but she was still a friend and classmate. I think this could also be a good introduction if you had older family members with cancer as it provides a comforting experience.
The author is the CEO of Livestrong and the book includes additional resources for families to discuss cancer. This is a good resource for families and teachers.
Book Reviewed By
Victoria, Mother of 2 children ages 5 and 8. I am married to an elementary educator and I think this book would be a good addition to the classroom library.
Book Facts
Age Range: 4-8
Grade Level: 1-2
Hardcover: # of pages: 38
Get The Book
The book is available at marissabader.com/shop or on Amazon.
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