Amelia Frahm was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1994 at age 34, back when cancer was still whispered about, especially in front of children. Unable to find a picture book to help explain it to her toddlers she wrote "Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy." Publishers rejected her book idea and according to Frahm, " rejection is the last thing you need when battling Breast Cancer." So she put her manuscript away for years, but when her best friend, Laura Bouldin Karlman, died of cancer leaving behind two young children she found her courage and motivation. She established Nutcracker Publishing Company and published "Tickles Tabitha’s Cancer-tankerous Mommy." Her book had just gone to press when she received a call that her mother had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer Frahm won what for an unknown author was the marketing lottery when the Rosie O Donnell Show asked her to appear on the show in Oct. 2001 to introduce her book. The book made it, but not the author. First there was 9/11, and Frahm had no sooner been told that the show and her appearance would go on when Anthrax was found at O Donnell's New York studio. Frahm's appearance was cancelled, but the book made it and was recommended by O Donnell. Frahm used her non-appearance to garner more attention than she ever would have received had she been on the show. She said, "Nothing prepares you to handle a crisis like facing your own mortality." Today her company also offers Crack Open A Book! cancer education programs. Her book is used to teach the lessons her family learned battling cancer: Courage, Perseverance, Love …only schools call it character education. She concedes that only a few years ago going into an elementary classroom to talk about cancer was inconceivable, and today schools across the country are facing budget cuts, but "my favorite character trait is perseverance."
Randi Kaye CNN-News Correspondent, Atlanta, GA
“I was so touched, it’s (cancer) not an easy topic to convey and Amelia Frahm’s done it.”
The Midwest Book Review, “A clarity and candor laced with humor and insight. Very highly recommended for school and community library “health issues” collections.”
Today’s Librarian,
“It takes a humorous approach to one of the many down sides of battling cancer- being cantankerous. Eye-popping, gloriously colored.”
Today’s Dallas Woman,
“Includes the sudden hush children feel whenever their world isn’t what they expect.”
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