Back-to-School Book Review: Eczema Books for School-Aged Kids
An Itch for Agnes by Elizabeth Ann George
“Meet Agnes, on her first day of school! It’s off to a great start except for her itchy rash. It makes her twitch, and she knows she shouldn’t itch, but she can’t resist! When Agnes’ school friends become afraid that her eczema is contagious, will she be able to change their minds? Agnes is every child who has ever been made to feel different.”
Published in 2020, this beautifully illustrated book will help your 6 to 8 year old navigate early primary school years with eczema.
Rating: 5 stars plus
Under My Skin by Karen Crow
This book for older elementary school kids is organized around 4 aspects of living with eczema:
the physical side
the emotional side
the healing side
common triggers
Each chapter offers a great summary of each experience, interspersed with quotes from real kids, like 9-year-old Jeffrey who says: “Kids tease me because of my eczema. It bothers me because I don’t want to be different.”
One mother who reviewed the book said: “My son seemed to feel some hope and validation as we read through this book together. I plan to use it as a tool to educate teachers as well as family members about this condition … thank you for this frank yet colorful guide to eczema.”
Rating: 5 stars
The Case of the Itch and Rash by Erika Kimble
This book is one of the Malcolm Finney medical detective series featuring a boy who collects clues to diagnosis various medical conditions. In this case, he notices an itchy rash on his friend Carlita’s elbow bends and sets out to find the cause. Like a scientist, he considers the possibilities until he arrives at the cause, treatment and follow-up for his friend’s eczema. Using a hologram invented by his Dad, Malcom and Carlita explore the inner workings of Carita’s skin at a cellular level to explain eczema.
Formatted like a comic book, The Case of the Itch and the Rash has nine reviews on Amazon with an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately, the audience for this book is not a child with moderate to severe eczema. The book might be helpful for an older child with mild eczema who is wondering about a patch of rough skin. But, for GPER families who often know at an early age that their child has a life-changing condition, there are better books available.
Rating: 4 stars
