Chubby’s Tale by Carola Schmidt

 

How do you tell a child that they are sick?

How do you tell them about such a complex disease like leukemia, which we ourselves don’t understand?

With empathy, love and lots and lots of show and tell. Chubby’s Tale by Carola Schmidt has this and much, much more and makes a most horrendous and complicated task a little easier to understand.

Vibrantly illustrated by Vinicius Melo the book with its Christmas feel instantly calms and inspires a sense of warmth and comfort in the reader.

The book traces the journey of Chubby, the cutest teddy bear ever; from his falling sick, to diagnosis, treatment options and then cure.

Chubby is all set to find a new home and is excitedly waiting for Christmas with all the other dolls at the toy store. He suddenly feels sick and at the suggestion of his friends goes to see the doctor doll. Making his journey to the doctor fun (can it ever be fun) is the shiny yellow beetle that he buys from the toy vehicles department. Tooting away merrily in his shiny car Chubby finds his way to the career dolls section where he finds the Doctor doll.

She examines and conducts tests on Chubby and then diagnosis him with leukemia. Patiently taking him through the nature of the disease she explains how the disease is caused and also how it can be treated with chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. The simple and effective illustration of the patient chart of Chubby in the book makes the entire process so easy to understand for both children and parents alike. The doctor also takes chubby through the side effects of the disease like losing hair while gently reassuring him of its growing back again.

Chubby’s treatment is started with his friend Bearnard the bear donating some bone marrow.  All his friends from the store come and play and look after him while he is undergoing treatment.

And just like a Christmas miracle Chubby is cured in time for Christmas.

In time for finding a beautiful home filled with love and joy.

Carola’s experience as a pediatric oncology pharmacist, make her empathetic to children undergoing this dreaded disease. Her words instantly calm and reassure a child, letting them know that it is in no way their fault that they are sick. She takes the reader through the entire process in a calm and comprehensive manner, trying to dispel all the doubts they have. Readers are left with a feeling of love, and a reassurance that they are not alone in this.

 

So glad I got this readers copy, it was truly a treasure to read .Books like these need to be shared far and wide so that they can reach the kids they need to reach. Hope you liked my fair and honest review.

 

Happy Reading☺