“My name is Naomi, and my daddy needs a gift,” 11-year-old Naomi S. DeBerry writes in her semi-autobiographical children’s book, “My Daddy Needs a Gift.” “It’s not his birthday, Father’s Day or a holiday. My daddy needs a new kidney.”

With this heart-ripping opening, we’re pulled into Naomi’s journey to help her dad (based on the author’s real-life dad, journalist Jarvis DeBerry) find a kidney transplant donor after learning that kidney dialysis is not enough to keep him healthy and alive. While even imagining a young child navigating hospital visits and the medical uncertainty surrounding a parent is a hard pill to swallow, such stories are vital. “This book is for children everywhere who have a sick parent and are scared,” Naomi writes in the dedication. 

Aided by Jasmine T. Mills’ vivid illustrations of a Black family hoping and searching for a kidney donor, “My Daddy Needs a Gift” balances the drama of the DeBerrys’ dilemma with an easy-to-understand education about organ transplants. August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month, and “My Daddy Needs a Gift” is an excellent tool parents and educators can use to educate themselves and children about the organ transplant crisis. 

Young Naomi likens her father’s diseased kidney to a battery that needs charging up again — and she explains that people only need one healthy kidney to live. She contrasts the activities she used to be able to enjoy with her dad (riding her bike in the park, for instance) with his weakened state as he awaits a donor. 

Finally, Naomi embarks on a personal journey to help her dad, making signs that she asks her school and community to share: “Dear World…Give the Gift of Life.” 

“My Daddy Needs a Gift” is a beautiful example of how adults can empower children by sharing age-appropriate knowledge about a sick loved one, rather than trying to hide the illness. Children are perceptive, and the stress of managing an illness eventually impacts them. 

The book includes a glossary to explain words such as nephrologist and dialysis, as well as the roles of donors and donor organizations. While Naomi’s dad eventually receives his “gift of life” (a cousin donates a kidney), the story is a reminder of how difficult it is for people to receive the tissue and organ donations they need. According to Donate Life America, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. are awaiting lifesaving transplants. Other disheartening stats:

• Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney donation. 
• 3-5 years is the average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor.
• Every 8 minutes, another person is added to the national transplant waiting list.

“My Daddy Needs a Gift,” published June 2024, is available in paperback and hardcover.