Brushing Mom's Hair

by Andrea Cheng, Nicole Wong (Illustrator)

When your mom has breast cancer, how do you cope? Ann is just short of fifteen when Mom is diagnosed with breast cancer. How can she tell the girls in ballet class that her mother had her breasts cut off? Her matter-of-fact sister, Jane, takes charge at home; her brother, Nick, calls from California; Dad helps when he can, as do friends, teachers, and relatives. Still, Ann is consumed with worry. Who's going to make sure that Mom drinks enough water, like the doctor said? Unless she is dancing or making pottery, Ann feels completely alone. She has a book that says, "Don't sweat the small stuff. And it's all small stuff." Even cancer?

Genres: Poetry, Young Adult, Novel In Verse, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Illness, Middle Grade

64 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

Andrea Cheng is a Hungarian-American children's author and illustrator. The child of Hungarian immigrants, she was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio in an extended family with three generations under one roof. Her family spoke Hungarian and English at home. After graduating with a BA in English from Cornell University, she went to Switzerland, where she apprenticed to a bookbinder, attended a school of bookbinding called The Centro del Bel Libro, and learned French. Upon her return, she returned to Cornell to study Chinese and earned an MS in linguistics. Now she teaches English as a Second Language at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Her children’s books include Grandfather Counts, Marika, The Key Collection, Honeysuckle House, Where the Steps Were, The Bear Makers, and Brushing Mom’s Hair. With her husband, Jim Cheng, she has three children: Nicholas, Jane, and Ann.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brushing Mom's Hair, a book of prose, is written from Ann's emotional point of view as she watches her mom battle breast cancer. The only times when Ann can forget that her mom is sick is when she is writing or dancing. Each poem is raw with emotion, honesty and reality. It's midnight but I can't sleep so I turn on the light and open my new book to the middle. "Don't sweat the small stuff and its all small stuff." Even Cancer?

This book is beautifully written with an honesty rarely seen in children's or young adult books. I would particularly recommend this book to anyone who has a parent fighting cancer because they will be able to relate in a very personal way. Andrea Cheng wrote this book as a biography from her daughter's point of view as she herself was battling breast cancer.

[Kree]

I absolutely love "Brushing Mom's Hair." This book is about a girl who does Ballet. Her life is tough though because her mom had Breast Cancer. Throughout the book, the girl is is trying to persevere and not think about how sick her mom is. The girl tries her best to take care of her. The girl has family and friends who repeatedly call her to see how her mom is doing which makes her feel more overwhelmed than she already was. She constantly says they her mom has been acting differently ever since she had Breast Cancer and longs to have her old mom back. At the end of the story, The girl's mom starts acting like her old self again and she let's the girl brush the fuzz of hair and that's where the books ends.

[Amber Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected. One of the most scattered novels in verse I've read, however maybe this was the intent. Maybe this was to show how the daughter felt in dealing with her mother's cancer.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simple yet beautiful book about the way a young girl deals with her mother’s breast cancer. It is written in a series of poems. Each poem expresses what is happening at that time with her mother or else with her own emotions. The reader can feel the emotions and the helplessness in the voice of them poems. She handles her worries by dancing and making pottery. Through these two creative outlets she can let out her frustrations and deal with not only the everyday things a girl of fifteen must deal with, but put into perspective her mom’s cancer. Wonderfully written with a great message.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a series of poignant poems, a young girl describes her feelings as she watches her mother go through chemotherapy to treat breast cancer. What I found especially interesting was that she couldn't talk to her friends about it. I would have liked more detail about the reasons for that, although I could imagine why. Nicole Wong's delicate illustrations were a perfect accompaniment to the text. Nicely told, with a genuine feeling of "I'm all alone in experiencing this." Too bad she had no family support group. Recommended!

[Abby Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This autobiographical novel in verse is based on the author's youngest daughter's experience watching her mom go through treatment for breast cancer. The beautiful verse and illustrations certainly add something to the genre of cancer books for kids. The book is well done, but I wonder if its appeal will be limited to kids who are going through or have gone through this experience. Still, for those kids it will be an excellent choice.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another free-verse book. Sigh. This one didn't do much for me, but it might be just the thing for a middle-school girl. Mom gets cancer, girl is afraid and unable to talk to her friends about it. The ending is hopeful, of course--Mom goes back to work and her hair starts growing back. These are just hard to read.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copyright: 2009
Genre: Poetry

This is a great book for students to help understand what it is like for a family that is dealing with cancer. This book has a happy and optimistic ending, so it is also a great book for those needing such a story. Cancer affects most lives in some way these days. It is nice to have books to go to that help you sort out your thoughts and feelings.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the experiences of her youngest daughter during the author's treatment for breast cancer, this deeply moving story is told through a series of connected poems. Candid yet sensitive, it portrays how the young girl experiences her mother's illness. The story is accompanied by delicate black-and-white pencil drawings on each page.

[Gin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short narrative novel in free-verse. The character’s poems express her experiences and emotions as her mother receives treatment for breast cancer. Expressive language and simple sketched illustrations. (Based on the experiences of the author's daughter).

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but moving story about what it's like to be a teen whose mom is diagnosed with breast cancer. Certainly a good choice for anyone experiencing the same or similar circumstances. I love novels in verse - very effective way to write.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful little book- Written in verse and told from a fifteen-year old daughter's point of view as her mother is treated for breast cancer. Timely- would be a great contribution to any library this month.

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read. The main character is based on Andrea Cheng's youngest daughter who had to watch Andrea go through her own battle with breast cancer. This story is told through a series of poems that are accompanied by some lovely illustrations.

[Heather Colacurcio · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extremely short novel in verse with an extraordinary heart. In under 60 pages, Cheng manages to make her reader think and feel more than most 300 pages novels on the same subject. Beautiful and honest.

[Robynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 11 year old Goddaughter recommended we read this together.

A young teen has learned her mother has cancer. A spare book written in poetry leads us on her journey as her mother travels her journey.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely novel-in-verse about a teenage girl and how she copes while her mom battles with breast cancer. A small gem.

[MMatchak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrative told in verse about a young girl dealing with her mom's diagnosis of breast cancer. Very quick read.

[Michelle]

Good, short, aimed at younger readers than I usually read for.

[Reba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply told, but very sweet and moving. A lot of honest emotion, feeling and pain that will resonate with any reader going through something similar.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughter trying to cope with her feelings when her mother who is diagnosed with breast cancer. Poignant and quite powerful.

[Ms. Tongate, TLC Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick verse novel of how Ann's coping at age 15 with her Mom's breast cancer.

[Kary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short, but emotional novel in verse about a girl who's mother has breast cancer. I enjoyed it!

[Danielle Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, sad little book.

[Pamela Sloss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a real perspective of a daughter dealing with her mother's cancer treatment. Very sweet.

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely novel in verse about mother's cancer and hope for tomorrow.

[Meg Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this beautiful book, but way too short. Would've loved to see more of a character arc for the protag