‘dedicated to all parents
and children affected by Alopecia‘
Written by Amy Johnson | Illustrated by Mandy Eaton-MacLean
a short rhyming story designed for young children who have mums with alopecia
we have 50 copies to give away!
If your little one is struggling to understand or come to terms with Mum looking different, this booklet could be just the thing to help. And even if your little ones are fine regarding your alopecia, we’re sure they’d think this story booklet is pretty cool.
It is a short 10 verse rhyming story that we hope will appeal to all ages but primarily it is aimed at a primary school aged audience (ages 3 – 7 ish!). However, we think the lovely illustrations and real-life photos included at the end make this a helpful story booklet for all Mums with alopecia.
Simply Wigs have purchased 50 books and all proceeds have gone to Alopecia UK.
Alopecia UK is a registered charity working to improve the lives of those affected by all types of hair loss.
I have lost most of my hair now and am a permanent wig wearer.I’m hoping I’m one of the lucky ones to receive a book. My 6yr old grand daughter who has never seen me without my wig or headscarf came into the bathroom unexpectedly whilst I wasn’t wearing my wig. I could see she was taken aback. She immediately ran out again and into her mummies arms. I didn’t know how to explain to her and asked if I’d upset or frightened her. She said no not really but I wasn’t confident enough to sit down with her and explain my situation. Maybe the book can help me do this.
I too am an older granny and am called “my alien Nana” by one grandson which is wonderful! All the grandchildren know and have taken it for granted that I lost my hair and can change how I look when I want to. Another grandson brushed my “hair”, then felt around my head, exclaiming excitedly “there’s a head inside”! I have had some superb moments with them – they can accept anything if you are matter of fact and happy to share with them. Be brave – I know you can do it.
I was delighted to receive my copy of My Mum. My children are older (12 & 14) and often get embarrassed of me, both being bald and just being their Mum… It is a book celebrating Mums as well as those bald Mums. Was lovely to see the photos of real Mums (a few I recognised) with alopecia. We aren’t alone.
Thanks again.
Thanks for sending me the book. To be honest, though it’s lovely and shows how the alopecia is only one unimportant aspect of ‘Mum’, it felt a bit alien to me as I don’t think I’m anything like as dynamic and lovely as the mum in the book (for starters, I’n quite a bit older and less fit)! I may show it to my younger child at some point, but I think I’ll wait for the right moment. But it would have been really perfect when my kids first came to us (they were both adopted at, typically nowadays, about 3 years old).
Meanwhile, it’s great that people are trying to do resources like this which could break the taboo a bit. Kudos to the authors!
Thank you so much for the couriered copy of My mum has Alopecia?
I was amazed how quickly it arrived in our rural mail box.
Just a Thankyou for sending me the book!
l think the ‘My Mum’ book is perfect for helping to explain and normalise to young children that sometimes things happen and people can lose their hair…. and to show that some choose to wear a wig or scarf and or maybe nothing on their head at all.. It’s all fine, just a bit. different…but are still Mums and Nans!. ????
When l have finished with my book, I am thinking of donating it to my local Doctors surgery, where hopefully it will be helpful to other people.
I am so grateful to have received one of the 50 books. I am a granny with advanced frontal fibrosing alopecia. My grandsons are 4 and 2 and have not yet seen me without my wig or a hat on, I have been wondering how I am going to explain to them that granny only has hair at the back of her head this book will help me do just that and the photographs at the back of the book will help too. My two little boys love to play rough and tumble and although I am generally confident my wig will stay in place I did have an incident at the soft play centre which made me realise they do need to see me without it. Thank you again for the brilliant book.
Hello, Please fill out your details here and we can send you a book 🙂
Hi! I would love to get my hands on this book! I live in Sweden, can I order international shipping? Or can I download it? Thanks and have a great weekend??????
I just wanted to say thank you so much for my copy of ‘My Mum’. My little girl has only just turned two, but I am absolutely terrified that she will get picked on for my being bald when she reaches school. We have read ‘My Mum’ umpteen times already since receiving it and will continue to do so, so that if/when the time does come that she needs to explain why Mummy doesn’t have any hair/wears wigs/looks different etc. she will know exactly what’s different about me and be able to explain it and move on relatively quickly (fingers crossed!). She points to the ladies in the photos in the book when we’re reading and says ‘Mummy, it’s Mummy!’, it’s very cute. I think ‘My Mum’ is a great resource for Mum’s in my position and I’m very grateful to simply wigs for giving me the opportunity to get my hands on a copy!
Thankyou for the lovely book. My daughter is only 2 just now so does not realise I am different as I am bald and have alopecia. However, this book will be really useful when she starts to realise. I have put it in her book box for now for her to look at the pictures of people who look like me. Thank you very much.
Super fast delivery ! and my girls loved reading it, and looking at the pictures of other mums with hair loss, they smiled and said ” they are like you mummy!” and then my eldest decided I should have a blonde curly wig like on one of the drawings, it was a good conversation starter about if any body has made comments to them about mummy wearing a wig. I have a friend with alopecia and a young daughter so I’m going to suggest she gets a book for when she is old enough to understand ???? thank you so much.
Delightfully set out and written book. Although I can’t swim fast, knocking my confidence as a Mum a little, I was glad I could share the message that alopecia does not define you.
Hi, Thank you for sending me a copy of ‘My Mum’ Alopecia Book. Although I am a Nana and not a parent I do have two very young grandchildren. I usually have my wig on all day till I go to bed , it makes me feel better and lifts my spirits as soon as I put it on. About two years ago my granddaughter Sophie who is now four was in my living room with me. Sophie had walked over to the tv, while she had her back to me I took off my wig to cool my scalp it was a hot day. Before I could replace my wig Sophie caught me and proceeded to walk towards me in very slow motion, as though in a bit of a shock I didn’t move I just smiled at her, when Sophie got over to me I tried to explain to her that Nana had been sick and lost her hair she just seemed to accept it. Since that day we have had some laughs when she gets hold of one of my wigs and walks into the room with one on. I thought the book was a brilliant idea and much needed. My granddaughter now knows I’m not the only one who’s hair comes off.
Thank you got a job well done.
I felt lucky and privileged to receive my free book. I’ve read it with my grandchildren, as it’s hard to explain to little girls why grandma has so little hair and often wears a wig or hat. They enjoyed it, and I think seeing something in print helps to normalise it for them.
I was delighted to be picked as one of the 50 to receive the free copy of ‘My Mum’ Alopecia book. Although I am a mum, my children are grown up but I have young grandchildren who I often look after and have for holidays. This book helped to explain to them about Alopecia and why ‘nanny’ wears a wig – and takes her hair off at night to wear her nightcap !
Many thanks for sending me the book, I was thrilled to be lucky to be chosen to receive one. I have had Alopecia Areata for 13 years now since my oldest son was 6 months old but since last year it has progressed to nearly Alopecia Totalis now so have had to start wearing wigs. I also have a 7 year old son so it’s lovely to read the book with my sons and for them to see there are other mums out there who look the same as me, and we’re still their Mums doing the best we can. Thanks again xx
Hi there, I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have been on one of the chosen 50. I am an Alopecia areata sufferer in a fairly new relationship. We are going on holiday in August together with my daughters and my partners children, a 16 year old daughter and a 7 year old son. Bill, 7 year old son (with no filter!!) has never seen me without my wig or scarf on so I am conscious of the impending holiday. This book will help us explain to him why I have no hair.
My daughter, aged 10, when she read this book said ‘this book was especially made for you mummy’ as everything in there is basically describing what we do together. The book brought tears to the eyes of everyone who has read it. I have showed it to all my friends and family. It really is beautiful
The photographs at the back of the book of alopecia mums are beautiful. I would love to be able to have some photos done of me without my hair. I never go out without hair or a scarf but these photos are inspiring. I hope that one day I may take the plunge. Alopecia is such a tough condition to have as a woman. It can be very difficult and dark at times but with the help of your website, blogs and emails, we get there and are able to look and feel amazing. Bald or not. I work in a GP surgery so we will use this book to help children with this condition (we do have at least one patient at the moment with alopecia) and to help other families going through the same thing. Thank you once again.
I hadn’t heard of the My Mum Alopecia book before but when I saw it in your email it really made me think about just how much I’d chatted to my children about my alopecia. Children are incredibly accepting and I guess my boys had just accepted I had no hair. When I received the book the kids and I read it that night, it’s really well written and focuses on all the things Mums do, just this Mum has no hair. The book seemed to open up my children’s minds, as soon as we’d finished reading it we had the best (possibly the first?) open and honest chat about Alopecia. They asked lots of questions and even enquired whether their Dads receding hairline was Alopecia too! Thank you for our lovely book, such a sweet story and great conversation starter. ????
I absolutely loved the book, kids were really excited about it too! It has made me realise that they are absolutely not bothered about my baldness, it is apparently just me that has the issue. It should help them explain it to their friends should they ever have to.