Cancer is a family disease. When a loved one has cancer, children especially may feel many emotions-sadness, loneliness, and fear. Mostly, they have lots of questions. They want someone to explain cancer to them, but they don't know how to begin. They wonder if their loved one will want to talk about it. Beverlye Hyman Fead, a cancer survivor, and her granddaughter, Tessa Mae Hamermesh, needed to talk about cancer and what it meant to their family. One day over cookies and tea, Tess decided to ask the question, ""Nana, what actually is cancer?"" That led to other questions and, over time, to a meaningful, thoughtful, and healing conversation. Tess felt better about her situation. Then, she thought, wouldn't it be a good thing to share what she had learned with other children? And that is how this book began. Parents and grandparents, as well as teachers and social workers, will welcome this long-awaited, frank, but gentle tool for teaching inquiring minds and comforting tender hearts. Illustrated by artist Shennen Bersani, the book includes a comprehensive glossary of cancer-related terms to help young readers better understand the medical and technical language of cancer. Here are the questions explored in this book: Nana, what's cancer? What causes cancer? Can you catch cancer? Can anyone get cancer? When you have cancer, do you have to stay in bed? Can you get cancer when you already have another disease? Is it okay to feel sad when someone you love has cancer? Why are some cancers worse than others? Do animals ever get cancer? Is there anything else we can do to stop cancer? Do children get cancer, too? What's important to remember about cancer?