Book Review: MY BROTHER NEEDS AN OPERATION written by Anna Marie Jaworski and Illustrated by Linda Bell

Told from the heart of a mom whose son was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

This is a book The author wished were available when her son was born to help her understand more about Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and help her older son understand the changes as they occur with their newly expanded family.

Anna Marie Jaworski chronicles the challenging highs and lows that divide their family between time her time away from home to stay with their son who needs life-saving surgeries, her husband’s, and finding a way to comfort their son who is now living a life, much different than he expected when his baby brother was born.

It’s a story written for siblings who have questions, fears, and their own emotional journal while their parents are away tending to their sibling who needs medical help.

Linda Ball captures the beauty and love in this heavily-illustrated book, from hospital stays, dealing with the stresses, joys, love, family time, and even the family dogs’ constant presence show us the and range of ever-changing feelings.

MY BROTHER NEEDS AN OPERATION gives us the story other siblings in similar life experiences may face, and shows how the older brother learns compassion, understanding, and the challenges of living in a family divided between hospital visit, surgeries, and the love that keeps the family connected through their trials.

MY BROTHER NEEDS AN OPERATION is a book that helps bring understanding to the entire family, and is especially written for the siblings who have a sibling in need of medical help. The book offers children a better understanding of the confusion, sudden family changes, guides them to understand their feelings, and it gives them ideas how they can help and be part of the recovery to wellness too.

The back of the book has a place to record changes, events, activities, coloring pages, word find, and puzzles.

Review by Lisa Loucks Christenson | Peacock Books & Wildlife Art