Dragon Fire

In the evening when it gets dark, a daddy dragon, a mommy dragon, and dragon children breathe fire into the night. They see who can breathe their fire the farthest and they sing out, “Fire is life, and life is fire!” But one night Mommy has trouble making a flame. As she grows sicker, it’s up to Daddy and the dragon children to love and take care of her. And when Mommy’s flame goes out completely, Daddy and the dragon children give her one last hug, one last kiss, and find a way to say good-bye. Eventually Daddy and the dragon children decide to try breathing fire into the night again. They do not breathe their flames very far, but something special happens. High in the sky a sparkling star flashes like a flame in the dark. “Mama!” the dragon children cry, and it is so beautiful that Daddy announces, “Mama wins this time.”

Dragon Fire is a picture book about cancer and what it means for a family. Geert De Kockere’s gentle text tells the true story of An Dom and her family, and Tineke Van Hemeldonck’s simple paintings allow raw emotion into her illustrations. This is a must-have book for any family dealing with a parent with terminal illness.