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VITFriends Recommended Vitiligo Themed Books
VITFriends maintains the list of books below as a service to the vitiligo community. VITFriends does not endorse any of the books or authors.
Books for Youth
These books are appropriate for elementary school age children. A great way to introduce vitiligo into schools!
I've Got Spots
Illustrated By Jennifer Ferguson
When her skin begins to lose pigment, a little girl learns how to embrace her changing appearance. This book is a heartfelt reminder for children (and adults!) to learn about and celebrate their differences.
Hardcover. Suitable for readers aged 7 years and up!
Vitiligo Doesn't Scare Me
Written By Kim Kirkland
A book written by Author Kim Kirkland addressing the affects of the disease vitiligo. It informs children on how to view and understand what is happening to themselves as well as how to deal with the disease. This book is very informative to not only children stricken with vitiligo but children who also associate with children with the disease. It provides information to these children to help them understand and learn that there is nothing to fear from those with the disease.
I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots
Written By Lid's C. Rivera
Illustrated by Nina Mata
This lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and loving the skin you're in will inspire all children to appreciate their spots or what makes them different. Perfect for pairing with I Am Enough by Grace Byers, Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller, and I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes. Includes a personal letter from the author and facts about vitiligo.
Skin Deep: A Child's Story
Written By Phyllis A. Russell-Gilmer
Illustrated by Alyssa Osasere
Loss of skin color, depigmentation of the skin, white blotches, milky spots.... These phrases all describe a skin condition called "vitiligo." Learn more about vitiligo and its effects from a child's perspective.
Sadness to happiness!
Those with vitiligo have experiences and emotions ranging from ostracism, embarrassment and hurt to rebuilding their self-esteem and inner beauty.
The colorful illustrations and rhyming verse in this book make it a fun and enjoyable read for "children" of all ages
The Boy Behind The Face
Written By James McLeod
Illustrated By Taylor Coleman
This is James McLeod's first children's book. In it he shares his story of growing up with vitiligo, dealing with bullying and insecurity, and how he overcame both to become his own superhero! This is a perfect book for children dealing with bullying or self-doubt, or for any child, to teach lessons in kindness and bravery.
Lucy's Umbrella
By Sarah Madden
Lucy has vitiligo. She finds beauty in the patterns on her skin. She also finds beauty in the patterns she notices out in nature. Follow Lucy as she goes on a walk through nature, admiring everything she sees.
Different Just Like Me
Written and Illustrated by Lori Mitchell
In this celebration of diversity, a young girl sees the beauty in everyone’s similarities and differences as she encounters people from all walks of life. April is excited about visiting Grammie, but she has a whole week before she can go. The week goes by quickly, however, as April runs errands with her mother. On each of these trips, April encounters someone who is different—someone who is either older, speaks another language, uses sign language, or reads braille. As April learns about their differences she also notices the things she shares with each of them.
Super Spots
Written By Nakeyia Jones
Illustrated By Jacqui Smith
Nia is excited and ready for a brand new school year. Over the summer, she found out she had a rare skin condition, but she does not let that stop her joy of becoming a second grader. She loves to create songs that rhyme in her head to help her deal with anything she is facing or must get done. On the first day of school, there is show-and-tell. She wants to bring something new, fun, and exciting but has a hard time making a choice. What should Nia bring? Read and enjoy the adventure on Nia’s first day.
My Spots
Written By Theresa Garee
A vitiligo awareness book for young readers. Inspired by the first hand experience of Nakota Garee. Nakota imagines herself as beautiful animals of the world who are known for their spots. She discusses how vitiligo makes her feel and how reminding herself of the beautiful animals makes her feel beautiful! Vitiligo affects 1 percent of the entire worlds population. It can often leave people feeling alone when others stare or ask questions. Help your child understand the disorder with this fun and inspirational perspective.
The Vitiligo Spot Spotter
Written By Jolene Raison
Illustrated By Nikki Naidoo
There’s a spot spotting monster, on a mission to spot the spots on Cinnamon’s skin. Or at least that’s how it seems to her, when she’s out and people keep staring at her vitiligo. Can this plucky little girl outrun the Spot Spotter, and escape all those eyes? Maybe what starts out as scary chase, could turn into a spot of fun.
Kelly and the Stay of New Orleans
Written By Jordan Burk
Travel through the Big Easy with Kelly and Kelso and their new friend, Tilly, an amazing trumpet player who dreams of sharing her music on the big stage at Jazz Fest. But… There’s something special about her that she has yet to embrace. She has something called vitiligo which gives her beautiful multicolored skin. With the help of her friends, Tilly finds the confidence she needs to conquer her fears as well as how to love the skin she's in.
Fans of the Kelly and Kelso series will love the band of new characters including Tilly's bubbly plush alligator, Guidry Gator. Stuffed animals though they may be, Kelso and his new friend Guidry have a reputation for dropping simple and timeless nuggets of wisdom and inspiration.
The Adventures of The Vitiligo Man
Written By Shankar Jalota
Illustrated By Yayuartt
A boy with a skin difference.A new school.Will he discover his inner strength?
Today is Awais' first day at a new school. He wants to make friends, but he is worried...
He has a white patch around his eye because of a skin condition called vitiligo.
What will others think of his vitiligo? Will they make fun of him? Will he make friends?
Follow along to see how Awais discovers his everyday superpowers.
When he meets Lola, a girl with freckles, he will soon discover a mighty secret about loving his skin. When he finds out, Awais' life will change forever.
This is only the beginning.
Cocoa’s and Hazel’s Vitiligo Superpowers
Written By Romana Mathews
Illustrated By Tullip Studio
Cocoa, a curious, vibrant and kind little girl asks her Grandma Nita the meaning of her name. Grandma Nita’s response prompts curious Cocoa to ask about the white spots on her arm. What her grandma reveals in the mirror would later unlock her vitiligo superpowers. While attending a Juneteenth Celebration in the park, Cocoa makes a new friend named Hazel. Hazel is hiding her vitiligo behind her mask. Cocoa takes Hazel to a mirror just as Grandma Nita had done for her. At that moment both of the girls unlock their vitiligo superpowers of beauty, kindness, and confidence!
Books for Teens and up
These books are appropriate for teenagers and young adults.
Limited or Limitless
Written By Priyanka Francis
Priyanka Francis, a teenager from California, describes her experiences living with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that causes white patches of depigmented skin to appear. She delves into the psychological and physical effects vitiligo has had on her life, creating an informative, heart-warming story that shows her progression from feeling helpless about her condition to her impactful vitiligo advocacy. Additionally, she details how her vitiligo diagnosis during her formative years has had a profound effect on her character and how it has shaped her world views. This book is her debut novel and is well-suited for adolescents.
A No-Nonsense Guide to Vitiligo
Written By Yan Valle
"What does everyone need to know about vitiligo? Renowned author’s answer to this most difficult of questions uniquely combines the hard-won knowledge of traditional medicine with the stunning revelations of cutting-edge scientific research. "
Turning White: A Memoir of Change
Written By Lee Thomas
In his thought-provoking memoir, Turning White, Emmy Award-winning TV broadcaster Lee Thomas shares the physical and mental battle he is waging with vitiligo a skin disorder that is literally turning him white.
At age 25, Thomas had a dream job in a dream city as a feature/entertainment reporter for the ABC networks flagship TV station in New York. Then he discovered a few white spots on his scalp, the small beginnings of a disease that has spread to half his face -- a fact he covers with makeup when on camera.
Dappled
Written By Lisa Brown
Some people leave you forever changed. And maybe some wounds are just too big to heal. But Jane is coming to realise that confronting her past is the only hope she has of saving herself.
Jane has a skin condition, vitiligo, which makes her look a little different. But at least she’s become pretty skilled in the art of camouflage.
On the surface of things, Jane leads a good life. She’s a health professional with an active social life, who meets lots of handsome, successful men… they just tend to be all the wrong ones.
Perhaps it’s also because no one she meets will ever quite compare to who she once had.
How to Disappear Completely
"When Emma discovers the first spot, 'like a tiny bright moon' on her left foot, she's at the funeral of her grandmother, who had been her best friend as well. The diagnosis is vitiligo, a skin condition triggered by stress. Creating a large multigenerational cast, Standish knits an absorbing story of loss, identity, and human connections. A rewarding, realistic novel, illuminated by magical elements."
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