Sick Days Ah-Choo! All About Colds by Patricia Brennan Demuth (Grosset and Dunlap, 1997) When Sara sneezes, Sam catches some of her cold germs. “They went down his throat. They started to make more germs. At first there were just a few. Then thousands. Then millions! Will the germs take over Sam’s body?” Beginning readers will cheer Sam as he successfully battles his cold—and they’ll learn a lot about germs and how they work. When Daddy Had the Chicken Pox by Harriet Ziefert (HarperCollins, 1991) Nothing is good when Ellen’s father gets the chicken pox. He is too sick to do anything but lie in bed and moan and groan, and Ellen is worried that he might have to go to the hospital—or worse. Young readers will empathize with Ellen’s fears and share her relief when Daddy finally feels better: “Everything was good again.” A Field Guide to Germs by Wayne Biddle (Anchor Books, Doubleday, 1995) This is a book for parents, and we confess we had a hard time putting it down long enough to write this review. Wayne Biddle is smart, funny, and knowledgeable, and his book is a treasure trove of information about “the top-ranked terms and germs (in prevalence, or power, or worry factor, or even literary interest) from the billions of potentially unfriendly organisms out there.” Maggie and the Emergency Room by Martine Davison (Random House, 1992) In a thoroughly reassuring fashion, this book takes young children through a trip to the emergency room. Maggie needs stitches for a cut on her forehead, and the procedure, though long and tiring, proves to be not-too-scary. Marylin Hafner’s illustrations add greatly to this book’s cheerful, friendly tone. Mommies Don’t Get Sick by Marylin Hafner (Candlewick, 1995) Everybody knows that mothers aren’t supposed to get sick, but when Abby’s mom wakes up with a bad cold, the whole family pitches in to keep things running smoothly. Abby’s spunk and Marylin Hafner’s funny, funny illustrations make this a book for everyone to enjoy. The Penny Whistle Sick-in-Bed Book by Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar (Simon & Schuster, 1993) If you’re already familiar with the Penny Whistle series of books, you know they really are invaluable additions to any parent’s library. This title amply fulfills its promise to deliver practical and entertaining suggestions for “what to do with kids when they’re home for a day, a week, a month, or more.” The Tiger Has a Toothache: Helping Animals at the Zoo by Patricia Lauber (National Geographic Society, 1999) What happens when a tiger has a toothache, or a parrot loses her voice, or a giant tortoise breaks her leg? Learn how zoo veterinarians treat the variety of animals in their care in this affectionate, appealing look at behind-the-scenes zoo life. When Vera Was Sick by Vera Rosenberry (Holt, 1998) When spots break out all over her body, Vera must stay in the spare room where it’s lonely and scary and she can’t fall asleep. Her family tries to keep Vera comfortable, but children everywhere will identify with Vera’s problem—it’s no fun being sick. A warmly written and delightfully illustrated picture book. | Home | Article Archive | Book Review Archive |