Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite

A little courage can fit inside a hug. In We Can Do Hard Things, Melissa Dupuis tells the story of a young child whose mother becomes seriously ill and needs to spend time in the hospital. Both are scared, but Mama reminds her they can be brave together. The girl draws pictures, gives extra hugs, and tries to understand what is happening by asking honest questions. Her mom explains that her illness is not contagious and encourages her daughter to share her feelings. Treatment brings changes, including tiredness, medicine, and hair loss, which the girl finds hard to make sense of at first. Still, the two find new ways to be together through books, puzzles, nutritious food, exercise, dance parties, and small acts of care. Can love and openness help a family face something that feels so overwhelming?

We Can Do Hard Things by Melissa Dupuis is a gentle story for parents trying to explain breast cancer to a child. I appreciated that the writing uses simple, reassuring language while still making room for fear, sadness, confusion, and questions. The author never talks down to the audience, and the daughter’s voice makes the situation easier for little ones to understand. From an educator’s perspective, I would recommend it to caregivers who need a starting point for private conversations about emotions and ways kids can help someone they love. Maddy Moore’s soft, calming artwork adds a lot of comfort. The soothing colors and expressive images capture both the difficult moments and the loving bond between mother and daughter without ever making the book feel frightening. Helen Keller said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it,” and that message fits the girl and her mom's journey so well. Families or counselors looking for an uplifting, honest resource to share with children who are going through a similar situation should pick this one up.