The Use of Bibliotherapy with Children Diagnosed with Cancer
"Taking cancer to school," "Don't feed the worry bug," "The cancer that wouldn't go away," and "The way I feel," all sound like difficult topics of conversation for a child with cancer or a child that has a family member with cancer. That is because it is difficult to go to school, to not worry, to have that person have metastatic cancer, and to experience the wide range of feelings one may experience in these circumstances. However, these are not just topics of conversation, these are the titles of a few bibliotherapy books. Bibliotherapy is defined differently in various dictionaries, but the common phrasing most of them use is, "The use of reading materials for help."
Bibliotherapy
for children
Bibliotherapy can be beneficial for people across the lifespan, but bibliotherapy for children looks different than bibliotherapy for adolescents and adults. When focusing on bibliotherapy for children, books work well with preschool-age children and school-age children because these children are able to experience a wide range of thoughts and emotions, but often have difficulties communicating them in early childhood. Children this age are beginning to move away from focusing on their parents for support and shifting this focus to their peers. Because of this, bibliotherapy books that a child can relate to can be very therapeutic because children can find validation for their thoughts and feelings in stories when they see characters experiencing similar situations and feelings (Rozalski, Stewart, & Miller, 2010).
This validation has also been noted to help children create distance from their own affect, allowing them to explore painful topics and express thoughts, fears, and concerns that might be too difficult to face more directly (Mendel, Harris, & Carlson, 2016). As a Certified Child Life Specialist in pediatric radiation oncology, I have seen children experience this firsthand when a bibliotherapy book that they can relate to becomes their favorite book and they want to read it over and over again with their loved ones.
Children with cancer and their siblings often experience stress, anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal among many other things (Steele, Mullins, Mullins, & Muriel, 2015; Kazak & Noll, 2015), so providing positive outlets for expression is imperative for them to establish positive coping strategies for the often long journey that cancer requires. The thoughts and feelings that children with cancer often experience coincide with the three identified clinical indications for the use of bibliotherapy: when the child believes no one else is experiencing what he or she is, has trouble acknowledging repressed feelings, or is having trouble seeing possible solutions to his or her problems (Mendel et al., 2016). Bibliotherapy can be particularly beneficial for this population as bibliotherapy can teach healthy coping strategies, guide problem solving, and create a space for open dialogue among clinicians, caregivers, and children. (Kramer & Smith, 1998; Mendel et al., 2010).
For these reasons, bibliotherapy is a great tool that can be used by both clinicians and caregivers. For caregivers, it can be as simple as reading a specific book with the child and talking about the characters and the message of the book.
Tips for finding the right books for children diagnosed with cancer
Some may ask how to find a “specific book” that relates to cancer, or another particular topic. Amazon is a great resource because it will provide lists of books based on a single search and there are often times good descriptions of the book and reviews from others who purchased the book. If I’m ever concerned about the meaning of the book or looking for a very specific purpose (such as the book about metastatic cancer below), I type the book title in on YouTube because sometimes individuals post videos of themselves reading the book.
Certified Child Life Specialists support families impacted by cancer
When trying to support children with cancer or their siblings or peers, it’s often beneficial to have the additional support of a Certified Child Life Specialist. More than likely, the child with cancer will know a child life specialist at the facility where they’re receiving treatment, or sometimes there are child life specialists that work in the community that can be there for those moments that don’t take place in the hospital.
Child life specialists utilize their knowledge of child development and family dynamics to support children, adolescents, and young adults in various facets of life where they may experience distress, or even trauma. In the world of pediatric oncology, child life specialists can help children and families in a number of ways. The different topics of the books seen below are some of the common ideals that child life specialists aim to help children and families cope effectively with.
Because I work in Radiation Oncology and most of my patients come in 1 to 2 months after being diagnosed, I am often not the individual that assists with diagnosis education. For this reason, I utilize and provide a wide range of bibliotherapy books, but I do not have many dedicated to this topic. Below are some books that I have used, or am patiently waiting to purchase, and they are categorized by their topic.
Books for Children Diagnosed with Cancer
Hair Loss
The Famous Hat by Kate Gaynor
Going to School
Taking Cancer to School by Kim Gosselin
Diagnosis Education/Information about the Body
Mr. C Plays Hide and Seek by Eva Grayzel
Amazing Annabelle by Dyan Fox (very basic as Annabelle talks about her journey- having surgery and receiving “medicine”)
See Inside Your Body by Katie Daynes and Colin King
Look Inside Your Body by Louie Stowell and Kate Leake
Big Book of the Body Minna Lacey and Peter Allen
Thoughts, Feelings, and Emotions
The Color Monster: A Story about Emotions by Anna Llenas
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey
Brave as Can Be: A Book of Courage by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
Don't Feed the Worry Bug by Andi Green
End-of-Life
My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papageorge and Erwin Madrid
Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children by Doris Stickney
Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs by Susan Schaefer
The Memory Box: A Book about Grief by Joanna Rowland and Thea Baker
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Nicole Boik is a graduate of Towson University's Master's Degree program in Child Life. She cultivated her love for the field and the wide range of populations that child life specialists serve at different facilities around the university. After graduating and completing her clinical internship, she moved to sunny Miami, Florida, and has been working in Radiation Oncology ever since. She enjoys getting to have long-term relationships with patients and families and being able to watch patients master different medical experiences over the course of their cancer journey.
References
Kazak, A. E. & Noll, R. B. (2015). The integration of psychology in pediatric oncology research and practice. American Pyschologist, 70(2), 146-158.
Kramer, P. & Smith, G. (1998). Easing the pain of divorce through children’s literature. Early Childhood Education, 26: pp. 89-94.
Mendel, M., Harris, J., & Carson, N. (2016). Bringing bibliotherapy for children to clinical practice. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 55(7): pp. 535-537.
Rozalski M., Stewart A., & Miller J. (2010). Bibliotherapy: helping children cope with life’s challenges. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47: pp. 33-37.
Steele, A. C., Mullins, L. L., Mullins, A. J., & Muriel, A. C. (2015). Psychosocial interventions and therapeutic support as a standard of care in pediatric oncology. Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 629(S5), S585-S618.
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