PUNK WIG by Lori Reis (Boyds Mills 2008) a Bank Street College of Education "Best Book of the Year"
From Kirkus
A serious illness is given a lighthearted and encouraging treatment as a young boy relates how his mother is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. "She's going to the hospital to get the alien blobs zapped with medicine." Back home, he brings his sick mom a lunch tray with peanut butter and jelly and his favorite gorilla cup. When her hair starts to fall out, she announces that it's wig day. At Harriet's Hair, they both try on silly wigs and his mom chooses a long orange, spiky wig that she calls, "My Punk Wig." At the grocery store, everyone stares at his mom, wearing jeans and a black-leather jacket and sporting Punk Wig. During the winter they put Punk Wig on their snowman. By spring, mom's test results are good and she surprises the boy by giving him Punk Wig. Kono's watercolor illustrations convey a blithe touch and reflect the warm relationship between mom and son. This positive and upbeat approach to coping with cancer will be a welcome addition younger than, but complimentary to Patricia Polacco's The Lemonade Club (2007). (Picture book. 5-8)
From Booklist
Narrated by a little boy whose mother has cancer, or what he calls alien blobs inside her, Punk Wig features a family who gets through a tough time with flying colors. The color in this case is bright orange, the color of Moms, which has spikes on top that look like candle flames. Ries tells the story with a light touch, leavening a scary subject with comic relief (mother and son trying on funny hairpieces before they decide upon Punk Wig). She also focuses on the simple, valuable act of being together and talking as the child pushes Mom on the swing, picks out a pumpkin as orange as Punk Wig, and puts the wig on a snowman mother and child have made. In the spring, Mom gets the results of her tests and offers her son a wonderful punk wig, which he proudly sports on the last page. The appealing watercolors, set mostly against white backdrops, zero in on the people in the story, allowing children to see both a little bit of the mothers struggle and the happiness and love the mother and child share. Grades K-3. --Abby Nolan
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