“Austin’s Allergies by Erin Mandras, a fellow allergy mom, is the perfect book to explain what it means to have multiple food allergies. It is the first book that I have found that mentions more than just peanut allergy. Through rhyme, Erin explains in a child-friendly way how to manage food allergies. At the same time, she also ensures that the child understands that he/she is more than their food allergy. Based on her son, Austin, who has multiple food allergies, this is a great way to begin the discussion of what it means to be food-allergic.”
—Alison, Mom of 2, Food Allergy Mom, Avid Baker, & an elementary school teacher. @thenutlessbaker
“Austin’s Allergies is a wonderful story to add to our collection of easy, light + informative reads. The main character is a 4 year old boy and B immediately identified with him~ I actually changed Austin’s allergy set to match B’s when I was reading the book and B had the warmest smile and almost gasped when he said “just like me.” After the story we talked a little bit about how the story made him feel, we talked about how other children might not have the same allergies that B and Austin do, much like B’s brother has different allergies than he does, and we talked about how it is important for us to help keep everyone safe.
Austin’s Allergies is a valuable conversation starter for any young child—both those living with food allergies and their friends.
Best part about this book? It was written by a fellow food allergy Mama and a portion of the proceeds are donated to allergy research and education.”–@fighting_for_food_freedom
happilyepiafter: “We read a lot of books in our house, but the first book we have EVER read about a child with food Allergies was @austinsallergies, and we were lucky enough to win our own personal copy! “Austin’s Allergies tell the story of a little boy and his food allergies in a very age-appropriate way. It’s a must-read for all parents looking to explain food allergies, doctor visits, and safe foods to their children. Food allergies don’t define Austin, and they definitely don’t define my daughter. Thank you for our copy, Austin’s Allergies and @erinkonheimmandras! We love seeing food-allergic children represented in such a positive light”
“The story of Austin is lighthearted but yet informative and inspirational. It is a great read for anyone touched by the world of food allergies.”
Robert A. Wood, MD
Director, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
“This book is magical. So many children and families are affected by allergies and feel the anxiety and stress on a daily basis. This book normalizes this lifestyle for children and connects them with a character that is just like them. All families and teachers should be reading this book to their children to help them to understand the challenges that their peers with allergies face every day. It is a gift to children and families everywhere!!”
Melissa L.
Preschool Director
Baltimore, MD
“As a school nurse, I found the book Austin’s Allergies, written by Erin Mandras to be an excellent resource for students and families with children dealing with food allergies. It is a delightfully entertaining story written from a child’s point of view about food allergies. The beautiful bright illustrations make this quite an easy and enjoyable read for both children and parents.”
Wendy Quartner, RN
“As a new mom to a young toddler with food allergies, I found this book absolutely wonderful! I feel that this is a great way to explain to my son as he gets older that he’s going to be okay and safe even though he has food allergies. It is also a great way to teach him how he needs to be careful around food and not to be embarrassed to ask if there are foods that he can’t eat at parties. It is also a wonderful book for teachers to read to their class to teach children about allergies and to be careful about sharing food, etc. I highly recommend this book and it will definitely be a staple book in our house.”
Jenna Sperber