The Year My Mother Was Bald

A parent would reach for this book when their family is beginning the long journey of cancer treatment and they need a way to explain the clinical realities alongside the emotional ones. It is specifically designed for the 'middle childhood' years when kids are old enough to notice details like hair loss and fatigue but still need help naming their anxieties. The story follows young Clare through a full year of her mother's breast cancer treatment, using a journal format to track the ups and downs of chemotherapy and surgery. By framing the experience as a diary, the book validates a wide spectrum of feelings, from deep sadness to the guilt of wanting life to stay normal. It is an excellent choice for parents who want a secular, realistic, and medically informative guide that doesn't sugarcoat the difficulty of the situation but remains anchored in family love and resilience. It serves as both a mirror for the child's experience and a window into the science of what is happening to their parent's body.