Book Review ~ "Sticky Icky Booger Bugs" by Sherry Frith (excellent children's book depicting life with Cystic Fibrosis)

Sticky Icky Booger Bugs by Sherry Frith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Children's Non-Fiction Picture Book

Book Description: There are 30,000 children each year diagnosed and battling cystic fibrosis. There is no cure for this progressive disease.

Sticky Icky Booger Bugs is the tale of a boy's battle with cystic fibrosis as he attempts to avoid the hospital. Kory is just like any other child. He loves recess, playing soccer and exploring his neighborhood with his best friend. With every puff, cough, and sneeze, Kory keeps the sticky icky booger bugs away so he can have fun every day! Sticky Icky Booger Bugs is a picture book for children ages 0 – 7. 

Sherry wrote Sticky Icky Booger Bugs after her sons, Kory and Kevin, were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. She wanted to explain aspects of the disorder using words they could understand. Helped by colorful illustrations, and the knowledge they gained, they were able to deal with the sticky icky booger bugs using simple routines to keep their cystic fibrosis at bay. This story lets children know that they are loved, no matter what their medical situation may be.

My thoughts: I love the idea behind this book. The author wrote the book to help her children deal with and explain their cystic fibrosis. It describes the daily process required to keep children healthy and out of the hospital who deal with this disease.

I have a nephew who has CF. He was diagnosed at 4 months old. We drove out to Gig Harbor, Washington to visit (we live in Utah), and while there he was hospitalized and received the diagnosis. It was scary to hold an infant and see that he was checking out. Food would pass through him and he hadn't gained weight. His skin was translucent. The good news is that he is now twelve and doing well, with the help of the treatments described.

This is a wonderful book to help educate other children about the disease and help them understand the importance of keeping those sticky icky booger bugs away. It can be overwhelming for children to see the amount of pills that need to be taken before each meal. I have cried with my children when they couldn't go to Grandma's to see him because they were sick. It has been hard to help them understand that we love Reed too much to give him our "sticky icky booger bugs". I wish that I would have had a book like this when they were small for them to see and hopefully understand better.

This is a great resource in helping children have empathy and understanding. The illustrations bring the point home.

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About Author Sherry Frith:  Sherry Frith was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 16. At the age of 17 she relocated to Bakersfield, California with her parents Jerry and Kathy Marvel. She currently resides in Bakersfield, and is the Chief Financial Officer at a local concrete construction business. Her 3 boys are very energetic, atheletic, and enjoy sports. On most weekdays or weekends she can be found in the stand cheering Kyle in soccer, Kevin in football or Kory in baseball.

Sherry Frith wrote Sticky Icky Booger Bugs after her sons Kory and Kevin were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. She wanted to give them a gift and an explanation for what they were being faced with in terms both could understand. Keeping the sticky icky booger bugs away became an important daily routine that keeps the disease under control and her boys out of the hospital. After being diagnosed in 2010 with a rare genetic heart condition, her future was unknown. She made the decision to leave something for her boys, and the book unfolded with the help from illustrations by her neighbor Carol, whose grandson is also in the book. Kory’s story lets him and other children with medical routines know that they are loved.

About Illustrator Caroll Newell : Caroll Newell Walter was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent most of her childhood in Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from Mumford High School and majored in Fine Arts at Wayne State University. After she and her husband, Gordon, married, they moved to California where Carol worked for an advertising agency and then for Montgomery Wards in their ad layout department.

When their two children were born, Carol became a stay at home mom, but continued to do free lance art. She designed business cards, letterheads, portraits of animals, and children. She continued her education receiving her B.A. and Teaching Credential from California State University Bakersfield.

The Walter's raise and show Arabian Horses, Borzoi, and a bossy Corgi. They have quite a collections of other animals at their small ranch outside of Bakersfield.

Now retired after 27 years of teaching, Carol continues to enjoy creating all kinds of artwork. She does pen and ink sketches, acrylic and oil paintings, pastels, paper mache', simulated stained glass, fabric painting, and wood burned designs on goards. Her favorite subjects are animals, children, and American Indian Art.

Carol and her husband, Gordon keep very busy entertaining friends and enjoying their grandson's Michael, Cody, Sully, and Caelum.