Books for Heart Parents

When Your World Stops: Finding Hope in Your Child’s Medical Journey
By Jennifer Siran and Rochelle Reimer

This book tackles a wide variety of issues that come with navigating a child’s chronic health condition. It takes you through short, experience-filled stories that cover hospital rounds, postpartum depression, roles of medical teams, updating friends and family, and so much more. You will find tips on self-care, prayer, and meditation that can help keep you grounded. You don’t have to be alone.

Maria’s Heart Book
By Natalie and Maria Bergman

This is a story about a little girl who has gone through heart surgery. She shares her experience from the minute she learns about her heart defect until she is fully recovered. She lives in Canada, and this is a true story.

A Heart Warrior’s Beauty Marks
By Sarah Wilson

The heroine is a precious baby named Lillian. Her body is covered in surgical scars, which the author and baby’s mother fittingly refers to as “beauty marks.” This children’s non-fiction book shows young readers everything Lillian and other heart warriors (children who have had heart surgery) must courageously endure to survive and explains how they received these beauty marks.

Zip-Line
By David Humpherys

This is a book for kids that have a scar on their chest from open heart surgery to repair a CHD. Used by families, schools, and hospitals, Zip-Line whimsically explains the answer to the question “How did that line get there?” The story centres on a little girl and her bunny rabbit.

The Abilities in Me: Congenital Heart Defect
By Gemma Keir

This picture book is dedicated to young children born with a congenital heart defect, also known as CHD. Explore a day in the life of a little girl with CHD through bright, colourful illustrations and text. Perfect for teachers, parents, and children alike, this book will bring awareness of the condition and teach children how to be supportive and kind.

Charlie the Courageous
By Joslynn Jarrett-Skelton

Meet Charlie! She’s a courageous young girl who has had her fair share of battles in this world. After being born blue, Charlie needed a special surgery on her heart. Charlie was given superpowers that only she knew!