Children's Books About Food Allergies
*This image includes the previous name for this blog, as it is an older post.
Today I am adding some children's books about food allergies. When I started to look, I found that there are actually a LOT out there. So I read through several, and the title below are my favorite. Several of them are good for young children which is important when kids are getting used to being careful around certain foods and being responsible even when its hard. Food allergies are stressful and can cause a lot of anxiety for both kids and parents. I hope that you find some books that help your family have those important conversations, and maybe some you can share with your friends or class!
I would still love to add another more educational book for older kids. I'd also love to find some books about allergy shots, tolerance programs, and non-food allergies. So never hesitate to recommend your favorite titles!
A Lesson for Every Child: Learning About Food Allergies by Sally Huss
This book uses the framework of a new kid in school to teach kids about food allergies. The teacher in the book empowers the child to talk about his allergies, what he has to avoid, and what he does if he has a reaction. The other children in the class are interested and sympathetic to all he has to be careful of. The book takes a serious tone and encourages kids to be self-disciplined and careful with food allergies. The boy in the book is allergic to eggs and peanuts. He also talks about kids who are allergic to dairy. This would be good for younger elementary age.
https://amzn.to/4cn64OZ
My Perfect Cupcake: A Recipe for Thriving with Food Allergies by Rebecca Greene
This book talks about a boy who finds out that he is allergic to tree nuts. It talks briefly about him getting tested for allergies, and then his doctor explains that he can’t even have any cupcakes from his favorite bakery because of accidental contamination. The boy decides to start baking his own. He also learns that many kids in his class have different kinds of allergies and works on baking something that EVERYONE can eat for his class baking competition. Of course, he wins the competition and the book shares an allergy-free recipe at the end. I think this could be a great book for a support group, a school baking club, or just a summer activity - learning and baking together! This book would be great for preschool and school age kids.
https://amzn.to/4stjzBy
Charlie Learns About Her Food Allergies by Katie Holl
This book tells the story of a girl with food allergies. The book talks about many experiences in her life relating to allergies including reactions as a baby, getting tested and blood drawn, ambulance rides, epi-pens and birthday parties. While this story might not mimic your child's exactly, it had more simply-worded explanations than most. If you are looking for a more educational story for kids helping them understand the big words and the “why”, this one has more than most. This book also has education and tips for parents at the end. I would recommend it for elementary school kids.
https://amzn.to/46FYPy5
Daniel Has an Allergy by Angela C. Santomero
Another Daniel Tiger book - great for young children and with an accompanying tv episode. In this book, Daniel discovers that he has an allergy to peaches. He reacts by getting itchy and having a stomach ache. His doctor gives him some simple rules to follow and some simple ways that kids can be responsible for their bodies and their allergies. The Daniel Tiger books are also good at showing kids that their family can support them and help them solve any confusing or hard situations. I would recommend this book for young children.
https://amzn.to/4rQ8EBN
Zoey Has an Allergy by Anisha Angella
This book tells the story of a girl who has an anaphylactic allergy to peanuts. She carries her epipen in a pouch and wears a bracelet. The information is very simple and is cutesy in a rhyming rhythm. It doesn’t go into explaining why a body reacts and uses the word anaphylactic without really explaining it, BUT I am including it because I do think it would be very helpful for young children with a significant allergy.
https://sonsuh.com/products/zoey-has-an-allergy?srsltid=AfmBOorbvM5U3FYnrFiDH3KPyvpwDiYIWEtRncDMCjOMK75_t2xs3ThY
Bugabees: Friends with Food Allergies by Amy Recob
This fun playful rhyming book talks about a group of bug friends. They each have a different kind of food allergy. This book is great for normalizing allergies and promoting the idea that you can have fun despite having to avoid specific foods. At the end of the book, I appreciated that it shares more about each kind of allergy. This book would be good for young children through young elementary.
https://amzn.to/4cojNFe
