Editorial Review
SLJ Review of Health Helpers
Positivity and reassurance are hallmarks of this series. With brief sentences and minimal texts per page, these titles outline reasons why someone might need to visit particular doctors.
Potentially new vocabulary is boldfaced and pronunciation guides appear in yellow boxes. These might differ from terms in the picture glossary, which doesn’t include pronunciation aids. The series demonstrates, both textually and visually, that doctors are helpful and unfrightening, and that particular medical professionals care for specific health concerns.
Children discover what to expect when they visit doctors’ offices, including special equipment, tools, and explanations of why doctors examine patients the way they do. Each title ends with a thank you to the doctor for their help. Photos of racially and gender diverse children, families, and doctors are included; photos in several titles depict girls with Down syndrome.
VERDICT: Recommended for schools and public collections. Affirms how important these vital community members are. These professionals will be familiar to almost all readers, except, perhaps, the therapist.