You Are the Best Medicine - Hardcover

Clark, Julie Aigner

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061956449 ISBN 13: 9780061956447

Publisher: Balzer + Bray, 2010

Synopsis

When someone you love has cancer, how can you make them smile? A cuddle, a story, a kiss—and thoughts of you. Because you are the best medicine.

Watching someone you love go through cancer treatment is scary—especially for a child. In this courageous and sensitive book, cancer survivor Julie Clark creates sweet and poignant memories that remind us how children can nurture people they care about at a time when optimism and love are the most needed.

About this title

About the Authors

Julie Aigner Clark is a mom, a writer, and a teacher who has survived breast cancer twice. As the founder of the Baby Einstein Company and the Safe Side, Julie has been writing books and creating media for children since 1997 and has sold millions of copies worldwide. You Are the Best Medicine was inspired by her daughters, Aspen and Sierra, and by her husband, Bill.

Julie lives in Colorado with her family, which includes cats, chickens, lovebirds, fish, and a rescued mouse.

Julie is proud to direct her portion of the proceeds from this book to UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center because of its pioneering role in developing life-saving cancer treatments.

Jana Christy is an illustrator who lives with her husband, writer John Seven, and their two kids, Harry and Hugo, in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. This beautiful story came across her drawing board about a year after her stepmom, Debbie Christy, was diagnosed with cancer. Debbie’s strength is a constant source of inspiration, and her cookies, cakes, and raspberry bread pudding are a constant source of happiness.

Jana's illustrations can also be seen in Happy, Sad, Silly, Mad by John E. Mitchell, among many other books.

From the Back Cover

When someone you love has cancer, how can you make them smile? A cuddle, a story, a kiss—and thoughts of you. Because you are the best medicine.

Watching someone you love go through cancer treatment is scary—especially for a child. In this courageous and sensitive book, cancer survivor Julie Clark creates sweet and poignant memories that remind us how children can nurture people they care about at a time when optimism and love are the most needed.

Reviews

K-Gr 3–This book delivers a soothing, lullabylike message from a mother with cancer to her young daughter. Reassuring and tactful, it affirms that love and kindness are the best medicine for anyone who is ill. While Clark addresses scary situations like chemotherapy and hair loss, she does so in a gentle, understanding way. Each of these difficult topics is bridged with memories that the mother has of her daughter as a baby. She explains how her child's first smile, her sweet baby hair, and times she had a cold will help her through her own hardships and fear. A happy ending is included; the mother recovers and rejoices in all the time that she and her daughter will have together in the future. Soft pastel illustrations are as beautiful and gentle as the text, and very child oriented. An important and heartfelt addition for most collections.–Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PAα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Here’s a much-needed book, and one that’s done with lots of love. A mother narrates: “When I tell you I have cancer, I will be sad.” For each moment of hardship, this mother finds a happier time in the life of her and her daughter with which to equate it. When she feels scared, it will remind her of how she could make her frightened child feel safe after a nightmare, and that will calm her. When her hair falls out, she will remember her child’s head as a baby and hope that her hair grows back as beautifully. When she feels sick, she’ll think of the times she took care of her little girl and know just hearing her child’s stories will do the same for her. Then comes hope: “And then I will be well. And I will think of all the happiest times that we have had and the happy times we are going to have.” Soft-edge illustrations, tender in feel and comforting in color, add sweetness to Baby Einstein founder Clark’s story. Sadly, there will be much use for this, but anyone needing to talk to a child about cancer will find the right words here. Grades K-3. --Ilene Cooper

Edition details

• Publisher: Balzer + Bray
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061956449
• ISBN 13: 9780061956447
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Christy Jana
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32