No Lobster, Please!

Book review No Lobster, Please! Robyn Rogers. Heartsome Publishing, 2003. Hard cover, $19.95. How do you explain to a 6-year-old that he has allergic sensitivities to shellfish and could have life-threatening anaphylaxis on exposure? Until now, there was no effective tool, but with the availability of No Lobster, Please!, children with food allergies can easily learn about their problem. When Robyn Rogers’ son James was diagnosed as having severe shellfish allergy, she wrote this book to help her son and other children understand their condition. Written on a level geared to a first grader, she accurately describes the symptoms of anaphylaxis in a way that the children can

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understand: “I got itchy red bumps, my mouth felt tingly . . . I felt like I was going to be sick.” She also helps the children address their feelings: “I was scared . . . I felt sad (that I had to miss the seafood party) . . . I have to carry medicine . . . ” Cleverly illustrated by students in James’ first grade class, this book is sure to be a helpful tool for any family with children with food allergies. It is available for $19.95 at www.nolobsterplease.com. I highly recommend this book to anyone caring for children with food allergies. STANLEY FINEMAN, MD, MBA Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic Marietta, Georgia

ANNALS OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA, & IMMUNOLOGY