The Book:
Can You Hear Me? Hope After Loss by Y.Y. Chan, A Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Gold Medal Winner 2021 (Children – Religious Theme)
Description from Amazon
Can good things really come from bad things?
Why does God allow bad things to happen?
Will Daddy still be able to hear me from Heaven?
These are just some of the questions Renee starts thinking about after she finds out that her daddy has cancer. She feels very sad and struggles to understand why this is happening. He hasn’t even been her daddy for that long – there’s still so much they haven’t done yet! All she can think to do is pray and ask God to make her daddy better. But when she realizes he isn’t, she begins to wonder what God’s plan is, and whether God can hear her prayers at all. She documents all the things that are happening in her diary as she watches her daddy go through the stages of cancer. Through this painful experience, she learns about the meaning of faith and how she can stay connected to her beloved father after he is gone.
There are also discussion questions at the end for readers to share in small groups or as a guide for self-reflection and journaling. It can be used for grief support groups for those who have lost someone to cancer or terminal illness.
Beeda’s Book Review:
An important read for children and adults.
I read this book in one sitting because of how powerfully the author drew me into the story. The diary of a little girl who finds that her daddy has cancer is filled with all of the rollercoaster emotions I remember going through when my husband was diagnosed. On one hand, it was difficult for me to read once I found myself relating to each stage of the process. On the other hand, the story was so well written and emphasized faith, hope, and coping, which encouraged healing from my pain.
Y. Y. Chan drew from her own experiences to create this inspirational story which gave it the authenticity her readers will be able to relate to. I believe her story will help others process and eventually heal. God truly does hear our prayers. He knows what’s best. When we can’t see His plan, we just have to have faith and trust in Him.
This book would be excellent for children going through this life experience, but I also feel like it’s very beneficial for adults.
About the Author:
From her Author Page on Amazon: “Y.Y. Chan was born in Hong Kong but grew up in sunny Brisbane, Australia where she had Christmas during summer. She returned to Hong Kong to teach English after graduating from university with First Class Honours. She also has an M.A. in English Language Teaching, and has been teaching English for over ten years.
‘Can You Hear Me, Daddy?‘ is her debut picture book and winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award. When she is not writing or teaching, she is either reading or looking for more books to add to her overflowing bookshelf.”
Read more and follow her Amazon author page by clicking here.
Purchase and Follow:
Can You Hear Me? is available in all formats: hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook. There’s a picture book version available for children 7 years old and younger.
Visit the author’s website for more information and to subscribe to her wonderful newsletter: www.yychani.com
Follow her on Instagram: yychan_author
Facebook: yychanauthor
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Lastly:
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