What Do I Look for in Books...

I am starting this list as a child life specialist who didn’t have a lot of time to look for new and different resources when I worked in the hospital and who felt frustrated by the resources that I did find.

I am starting this list as an author who creates books that support families through hard things and believes in the power of a well-worded book. This author doesn’t have the time or expertise to write a book about everything.  Loads of people ask me if I “know a book about ______” and it is helpful for me to know what already exists.  There is room in this world for so many good books!

I am starting this list as a mom. Due to my background, I can tend to gravitate toward the serious and factual books (written in easy to understand language), but my kids gravitate toward the silly.  This gives me balance and perspective to consider all kinds of books.

So all of that being said, here are the things I am looking for when I am choosing books for the list:

-books with simple honest descriptions using words that kids can understand
-books with up-to-date descriptions of medical care
-books that are appropriate for all families no matter their religion, experiences, or family dynamics
-stories that are relatable or playful, helping kids feel less lonely in their journey (without being confusing!)
-books that support feelings and emotional responses to health care
-books that give space for kids to feel lots of different things, not just the most common response

I will do all I can to organize and color code the list to help families and professionals find the books they are looking for.   Every Wednesday, I will add books to the list and descriptions of the books will be given in the blog.  If you have a suggestion, feel free to email me at laura@wordsworthrepeating.com.  I would be happy to utilize them as long as they meet the criteria.

If you are looking for books like this, follow along!