A really good celiac book book for kids is hard to find. So we were so excited to come across: I’m a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog! This book is written by Michal Babay and illustrated by Ela Smietanka. And it’s one of the few engaging books we could find about celiac disease for kids. Mom liked how much information I was picking up about kids who can’t eat gluten. I loved the dog! A poodle! And I loved even more that this was the first book mom read to me that was told from the dog’s point of view.
The book tells the story of a dog named Chewie training to be a service dog for a little girl named Alice. Chewie really wants to go home with Alice but he can’t until he graduates from training school. He needs to prove he’s serious about his job sniffing foods and products to let Alice know if they contain gluten (since she cannot have gluten). The problem is (or the “challenge” is, as my grandpa says), that Chewie it too easily distracted. Hot dogs, birds, his own tail… any little thing and his focus is gone. I can relate to that! Sometimes I also have a hard time focusing.
At the very beginning of this celiac book for kids, I didn’t know what gluten was. Now I know it’s a protein found in certain grains and that even a teeny tiny bit can make Alice sick. As mom read more pages, I really understood what Chewie had to do and why it was so important for him to pay attention.
The illustrations in this book were super fun. Mom liked that this book was based on a true story. She said it was clear that the author and the illustrator really cared about subject and wanted to make it appeal to little kids. I think this is a great book to teach kids about celiac disease. It’s not scary at all and I really like it.
If you have questions on how to talk with your child about celiac disease, check out this interview mom did with Vanessa Weisbrod, Director with the Celiac Disease Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Buy the Book on Amazon or Buy the Book on BookShop
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CELIAC ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Celiac coloring page — We made this coloring page inspired by the book! We included some fun pieces on a second page to cut and glue, as a way to make the scene your own!
Play with Playdough — Check out these FREE printable playdough mats. We included a link to an easy DIY gluten-free play doh recipe!
Gluten Free Finger Paint – We found a gluten-free fingerpaint recipe so we made the free jar template for you to use to make finger paint bugs (or anything else, really!)
Easy Gluten-Free Snack for Kids– Make some apples look as tasty as doughnuts with this easy snack for kids with celiac disease.
Make bug prints using your finger – and gluten-free finger paints with this easy DIY gluten free fingerpaint recipe.
TALKING POINTS FOR I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG:
- What was your favorite part of I’m a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog
- Did you like that the dog was telling the story? That seems new… was it confusing at all?
- Why is it taking Chewie so long to graduate from service dog training school?
- What does distracted mean?
- Can you name two things that distract Chewie?
- Have you ever been distracted?
- (If yes) what distracted you?
- What did you do to be able to focus better?
- What does Chewie do to be able to focus better?
- What do you think it means if someone has celiac disease?
- Do you know anyone with celiac disease?
- Is there anything specific about the I’m a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog book you’d like to talk about?
- Is there anything in the book that you didn’t understand?
USEFUL INFO FOR GROWNUPS
- Book: I’m a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog
- Written by: Michal Babay
- Illustrated by: Ela Smietanka
- Age Range: 4 to 7
- Illustrated edition: 32 pages
- Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (April 1, 2021)
- ISBN-13 : 978-0807536315
Hope you love this celiac book for kids!
