Recently, a fellow parent whose son has multiple food allergies read The BugyBops – Friends for All Time by Amy Recob to my son’s preschool class in honor of Allergy Awareness Week. Normally, I avoid any kind of children’s book that aims to beat a topic into the ground because the delivery of the message either runs toward the cutesy or, worse, the preachy. So I was pleasantly surprised when I read through this adorable tale that addresses food allergies in an open, positive way, encouraging kids to be a helpful friend to someone who can’t eat some things. The critter characters show how there are many kinds of food allergies–and the author conscientiously covers the major eight allergens identified by the FDA. And without getting into too great of detail, Recob deftly incorporates larger concepts around safety, including cross-contamination and carrying EpiPens, in concrete ways three-year-olds can understand to help avoid serious allergic reactions. There is no “us versus them” in The BugyBops, making this little gem of a book a great read for any child (and their parents!), whether they have food allergies or have a friend who does.

I recently finished the book Feeding Eden by Susan Weissman. Susan writes a very open, honest and inspiring account of raising her son Eden, who has multiple life threatening food allergies, eczema and asthma. I loved it so much that I tracked her down to tell her. Trust me I’ve never been an author stalker in my life and this time I just had to reach out and thank her. If you want a window into what’s it’s like to raise a child with food allergies or you are feeling like you are the only one, buy Susan’s book!