Author Wins Moonbeam Award for Her Children’s Book, Promoting Understanding and Compassion for Children and Adults with Cancer

Chicago, IL, October 28, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Windy City Publishers is proud to announce that When Billy Went Bald has won a national Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. For children ages four to eight, this book was written by Julie C. Morse with her son Greg Mikrut, and draws from Greg’s own childhood cancer experiences. This positive, heartwarming story helps young children better understand cancer and treatment-related baldness, told from the perspective of a little boy who has cancer.

The Moonbeam Children’s Book Award is intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. This award recognizes and rewards the best of these books and brings them to the attention of parents, booksellers, and librarians—and to children themselves.

Midwest Book Review recently issued praise for the book:

When Billy Went Bald is about a boy who has cancer. It is cheerful, upbeat, honest, and factual. The author writes from her experience as a parent of a boy who survived his childhood cancer diagnosis and treatment. (The book) encourages children to look beyond surface differences and find a compassionate way to reach understanding and acceptance of others who may be suffering. When Billy Went Bald is an exceptional contribution to the field of children’s health and education.

Ms. Morse has sent over 100 copies of her book, donated by Chicago area individuals and the Prudential Rubloff Company, to select hospitals throughout the country with pediatric cancer programs affiliated with the Sunshine Kids (www.sunshinekids.org), as well as libraries. Her vision is to include the book on the shelves of every school and in the libraries of every pediatric hospital to fill the enormous void for this type of story.

“Nearly everyone knows someone with cancer today, but too often we don’t include children in the conversation. It’s often all very hush-hush,” said Morse. “I wanted to create a book to help young children better understand the cancer journey in a non-threatening, helpful way.”

Ms. Morse is committed to fighting childhood cancer and helping kids when the unthinkable happens. Visit www.juliecmorse.com to learn more about her writing and speaking work.

For more information, contact kristyn@windycitypublishers.com.