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The Hospital Book
CCBC Review:
A girl describes her hospital stay for appendicitis by detailing the times she cried (nine) and the times she didn’t. The physical and emotional ups and downs of a first-time hospital visit start with the stomachache that triggered the first bout of crying. There are subsequent tears with a needle poke, the scary news of impending surgery, and the loneliness of an overnight stay (even though dad is sleeping on the pull-out chair next to her bed). An array of encouraging and sympathetic medical providers perform routine health care protocols, from checking her temperature, blood pressure, and blood oxygen level to changing her into a hospital gown, setting up an IV, and performing an ultrasound. The busy operating suite is “a little scary, but also a little fun” and the anesthesia works quickly, even though she isn’t tired. Returning to the post-surgical comforts of home means wearing familiar pajamas and crying relieved tears, along with her family. The girl and her mixed-race family (Black/white) are supported by broadly diverse cast of hospital staff, patients, and visitors. ©2023 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Lisa Brown
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-7
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
African Americans
Families
Fear
Illness and Disease
Medicine
Multiracial Characters/Families
Diversity subject:
Brown Skin Unspecified
Publishers:
Holiday House, Neal Porter Books
Publish Year: 2023
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780823446650
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Brown