Children’s Books About the Juvenile Arthritis Experience
Today I am sharing some books about Juvenile Arthritis, including JIA and JRA experiences. These books help kids feel seen and less alone in their journey. They can be a great way to start conversations about their experiences and how they see their disease. They can also be helpful in letting the people around them better understand their experience. Honestly, I would have also liked to share some books that explained what happens in their joints and how the treatments help, but I had trouble finding those kinds of books. So for now, I will share these resouces and will keep up the hunt. I hope to have a follow-up blog someday with more books that help kids understand their bodies.
Also, please keep in mind that a lot of these kids deal with a lot of pain. In the past, I have shared a couple of books about pain, helping kids communicate how they are feeling and helping their mind focus on other things (while still validating their experience). Use the blog search bar and search for “pain”. Also keep following, as I am working on finding some additional resources and will post a pain focused blog update soon!
Read below to find the best resources for the JA/JIA/JRA child in your life.
Alex the Kid: Talks About Juvenile Arthritis by Alexander Draper
This book introduces the reader to Alex, a 7 year old with JA. The book starts out by talking about how he is a normal kid. Then it introduces the fact that he has JA (or JIA) and what his care is like. The book talks about his doctor, x-rays, and his injections. It also mentions other treatments for JA. The book is a simple overview. It does not go in depth about what causes JA or how he copes with his treatment other than “being brave”. It would be helpful to educate peers or to start a conversation about JA, but kids with JA would likely have more to add or more questions if JA is new to them. Good for preschool through early elementary age.
https://amzn.to/4BkLAQV
The Worst Pain in the World by Nicky Johnston
The book is about a girl named Bella who has Juvenile Arthritis. She is hosting a birthday party. She struggles with pain even on her birthday. Bella has owies and gets sympathy but she hurts in a way that people can’t see. She can’t jump in the JumpHouse and feels sad to not be able to enjoy the party like her friends. Then she finally tells everyone how she feels. Her friends are sympathetic and they find another way to have fun. This book would be good for a young child (or peers) who deals with Juvenile Arthritis or another pain disorder. It is a good reminder in advocating for yourself. I had trouble finding this book in print, but this website offers a free online download. It also mentions sending families free copies. It is an Australian organization, so I am not sure about shipping to other countries.
https://muscha.org/kids-pain-book
Kipo: A book for children about Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis by Tsipi Egert, Ruti Vitman, and the Irish Children’s Arthritis Network
This book is about a monkey who is experiencing pain. His mom listens and comforts him. She allows him to go to school when he’s feeling better and makes an appointment for the doctor. The doctor tells them that he has JIA (but there is no discussion of what tests tell him that). He explains that his joints have inflammation that make them swell and have pain, but there is no further explanation of what those words mean. The book does introduce other doctors who help as well (they seem to be an eye doctor and a PT). Kipo enjoys the exercises in PT. Next he needs an injection. The book does a nice job of being honest, showing that the monkey is upset, but that when given choices, he chooses the coping mechanisms that work best for him. The book ends by telling him that he will need ongoing care to help and by reassuring him what a brave and strong monkey he is. This book was created to help families have honest conversations about JIA. There are many pages that can start important family conversations, but many of them will take more words and explanations than what is in the book. Good for young children who have been diagnosed with JIA between preschool and early elementary school. The best part is that this book is a free download. So look for yourself and see if it could be helpful for a child in your life with JIA: https://wordday.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Kipo-JIA-Childrens-book-edited-May2017_v2.pdf
Rheuma Toad by Jenny Melancon-Halley
This story is about a toad who is practicing for a big race at school. When he is practicing he experiences a lot of pain in his joints. It still hurts when he is trying to sleep at night. He goes to the doctor who takes x-rays and “takes labs” - the book does not explain this further. The doctor tells him that he has JRA and tells him that he can live a normal life but that certain times when the JRA flares up, he will have to take extra care of himself. He then tells him he needs to rest and take medicine for a week before the race. In the end, the toad feels better and wins the race. While this book does not get into a lot of details about the race, it does feature a main character who deals with JRA adversity and thrives. Good for preschool through elementary school especially for kids with JRA or a Rheumatologist’s office.
https://amzn.to/4sik3vr
As always, I make a small commission off some of the books in this list. This helps me justify the many hours I spend looking for good books. I also fully support finding these books at your local library or book store.
