A Look Inside
A few moments from The Girl with the Golden Ribbon.
What Readers are Saying
“A genuinely heartwarming story that brings comfort and light during a delicate, scary time. Turning the golden ribbon into a lasting symbol of kindness and connection for children, families and caregivers is truly beautiful. My boys really enjoyed it, and I loved how the story helped explain things they didn't understand before.”— Jill, Parent of young readers
“The golden ribbon represents that people love you, and when you get one, you know somebody cares about you and you feel happy.”
— Alex, young reader
“This little book is a welcome reminder of how to cope and find hope in the most difficult of times. As a former Pediatric Oncology nurse, I highly recommend it to readers of all ages. The simplicity and directness of the topic is refreshing…..a BEAUTIFUL read. .”— Diane, Former pediatric oncology nurse
“The Girl with the Golden Ribbon is a beautifully written and illustrated story that is perfect for ages 4 to 8. Its bright, child-friendly pictures complement a meaningful message of hope, courage, and kindness, offering comfort and encouragement to children affected by cancer-— whether personally or through a loved one. A fabulous and heartfelt book that handles an important subject with warmth and compassion.”— Chrissy, Second grade teacher
About the Book
Austen loves ribbons.
Blue ones. Pink ones. Ribbons tied around presents, wagons and the neck of her favorite stuffed elephant. To Austen, every ribbon has a story.
Then one day, her mother brings home a golden ribbon.
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Soon, Austen's world begins to change. There are hospital rooms and doctors, treatments and days when being brave feels especially hard.
But along the way, Austen begins noticing something else: kindness. A nurse who knows just what to say. People who show up when they're needed. Small gestures that make difficult days feel a little less frightening.
And when Austen meets another child who looks exactly how she once felt, she discovers that the hope others carried for her is something she can carry for someone else.
Inspired by a family's real experience with childhood cancer, The Girl with the Golden Ribbon is a tender story about courage, compassion and the extraordinary difference a small act of kindness can make.
Perfect For
The Girl with the Golden Ribbon offers a gentle way to begin conversations about courage, kindness, fear and hope.
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Families navigating childhood cancer
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Children learning about courage and empathy
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Helping children understand a friend or classmate's illness
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Hospital and pediatric oncology programs
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School counselors and child-life specialists
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Classroom conversations about kindness
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Anyone who needs a reminder that courage doesn't always look courageous
The Story Behind the Story
The Girl with the Golden Ribbon began with a story I never expected to tell.
When our daughter, Austen, was diagnosed with cancer, our world suddenly became filled with things no child, or parent, ever expects: hospital rooms, long days of treatment, uncertainty, fear and a whole new vocabulary we never wanted to learn.
But those days were filled with something else, too. Kindness.
It came from family and friends who showed up again and again. From nurses who knew exactly when Austen needed encouragement. From doctors and hospital staff who cared for the little girl behind the diagnosis. From people who brought meals, sent messages, made us laugh, sat beside us and reminded us that we weren't carrying everything alone.
They carried hope with us.
Why Now?
When Austen was going through treatment, talking about what our family was experiencing helped me process it. Everything was still a raw wound, and sharing became one way of making sense of a life that had changed almost overnight.
But after treatment ended, we needed something different. We needed distance.
We knew cancer would always be part of Austen’s story, but we didn’t want it to define her childhood. We wanted to move forward, return to ordinary life and give her the space to grow into someone known for far more than what happened to her when she was five.
For a long time, moving forward meant putting cancer behind us.
Eight years later, the wounds have healed enough that I can look back without feeling as though I am being pulled back into them. And I now understand that sharing our story can serve a different purpose.
If it can help one child feel less alone, give one family words for something impossibly difficult, or help one more person understand why childhood cancer awareness, research and funding matter, then I am ready to tell it.
That is why this book came now.
And I am beginning to realize that the book may not be the end of our story. It may be the beginning of a new way to carry hope forward.