THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEEDLES AND NOODLES

In this picture book, a group of children helps a friend overcome her fear of an upcoming vaccination.

Through humorous storytelling and visuals, Ingels and illustrator Ballesteros approach a child’s dread of shots at the doctor’s office by demystifying the scary word needle. A little girl named Piper learns that her friend Maritza is afraid of getting a shot and leaps into action, putting on a show with her “Backyard Players.” When naming all kinds of needles (pine needles, sewing needles, “pins and needles,” and more) doesn’t quite do the trick, Piper’s friend Camille gives Maritza the key to dispelling her fear. Camille’s noodle bowl costume and a clever version of “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (lyrics included) come into play. Rendered in what appears to be ink and marker, Ballesteros’ comic book–style panels are alive with giggly details (a medical office overflows with noodles in bowls, on desks, and on examining tables; a space-adventure comic strip is a story within the story). Diverse children and adults are portrayed (Piper is White; Maritza is a Black girl; and an Asian American girl uses a wheelchair), and the book includes helpful tips for parents. (Ingels and Ballesteros first teamed up for Running of the Noses, 2022, the launch of their Piper + Enza Playdate series.) What is missing from this entertaining needle-noodle romp? Information to help children understand the “why” of shots.

Narrowly focused but provides shot-phobic kids with a fun, genuinely useful coping tool.