Why Can’t I Eat Bread? is a children’s book about Celiac Disease written for a recently diagnosed child. Throughout the book we follow a young girl who is navigating her new diagnosis of Celiac Disease; learning what it means to live with her diagnosis, what Gluten is, why it is harmful to those with Celiac, and discovering alternative foods she can eat that do not contain Gluten!

 

As a person with Celiac Disease myself, this book has special significance to me and as such will have an autobiographical element that connects with the thoughts and feelings of a new celiac diagnosis. Drawing from personal experience, I will ensure that the child reading this book can feel connected with the character and book in a personal way, recognizing that while this diagnosis is serious and will change their lives permanently, it does not need to be viewed as a scary thing and they can find comfort in knowing others are with them in this journey. To further help families integrate a Gluten-Free diet into their lives, this book will contain an alphabetized list (with spot illustrations) of naturally gluten-free foods and resources for further, more in-depth, learning, as well as helpful suggestion for finding gluten-free alternatives and information on cross-contamination. Since a diagnosis of this magnitude is a lot for a child to take in, coloring pages involving the “Gluten” character will be included in the back of the book to reduce fear and anxiety associated with the topic.

​

Ages for this book ideally range from 5 to 12 as the concept of getting diagnosed with a serious and long-term condition like Celiac Disease can be difficult for younger audiences, but the colorful pictures can assist parents as they discuss the topic with their young ones.