THE DOLL HOSPITAL

Name: THE DOLL HOSPITAL
Author: Kallie George
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0121-1

by Kallie George ; illustrated by Sara Gillingham ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 5, 2018

Although the instinct to care for others is important to nurture, this seems like an unnecessary throwback to an earlier era.

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It’s not only the patients, but the doctor and nurses who are dolls, too.

Dr. Pegs, a doll with Raggedy Ann–orange hair, a light brown face, and green scrubs, gets overwhelmed when too many patients arrive. There’s Portia, a pretty, brown porcelain doll with a cracked arm, and Scoop, a blond, pink-faced stuffed boy doll with a tummy ache. Then come Baby, a white doll whose talking mechanism is broken (“Instead of saying ‘Mommy,’ she says, ‘MOO!’ ”), and Teddy, a brown bear missing one eye. Dr. Pegs had one chore in mind: to sort the buttons, needed for emergencies. Now she’s terribly flustered and must ring the “special bell” for the Nesting Nurses. A set of nurses with diverse racial identities, resembling Russian wooden dolls, arrives and efficiently solves every toy’s problem, even sorting the pesky buttons. In fact, they do all the work, but Dr. Pegs centers herself when she says “I couldn’t have done it without you.” Collage and digital illustrations have a charming retro look with a palette that relies on red, green, yellow, and brown (and, interestingly, no black), and the text is cumulative in a satisfying way, but the message is mixed. Although the doctor is female and cheerfully thanks her female assistants, she still manages to come out on top. Couldn’t medical teamwork have been shown in a more enlightened way?

Although the instinct to care for others is important to nurture, this seems like an unnecessary throwback to an earlier era. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: June 5, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5344-0121-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: March 17, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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by Kallie George ; illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

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by Kallie George ; illustrated by Carmen Mok

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THE CITY TREE

by Shira Boss ; illustrated by Lorena Alvarez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2023

A soothing tale of a tree that helps transform a community.

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Dani forms a bond with the sole tree that is planted in their urban neighborhood.

“In front of Dani’s building was a hole. Sometimes dusty, sometimes puddly. And sometimes wild with bits of green.” A double-page spread, mostly in muted pastels, shows a foliage-free urban setting of adjoined buildings. But soon a truck pulls up, and two people plant a tree in that hole. For brown-skinned Dani, the tree is a source of joy—when birds arrive, the child is woken by their beautiful songs instead of truck noises. The tree helps predict the weather, protects Dani from “noise and grime,” and even offers friendship as the protagonist confides in it. Quiet, lyrical text describes the ways that typical urban sights and sounds change with the arrival of the tree; this is a good introduction to the concept of greening city streets for the youngest children. The text pointedly makes this tree more “special” to Dani than the more “magnificent” trees in the park. Depicting small details of lives lived inside and outside the apartments, the vibrant illustrations invite lengthy examination. The ending double-page spreads are a delightful combination of metaphors and vivid art as each season the tree continues to make the neighborhood a joyful place to live. Tranquil and calming, this is an ideal bedtime read. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A soothing tale of a tree that helps transform a community. (information on street trees, resources) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: April 4, 2023

ISBN: 9780358423416

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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UP IN THE LEAVES
by Shira Boss ; illustrated by Jamey Christoph

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IF YOU SPOT A SHELL

From the If You Find a Treasure series

by Aimée Sicuro ; illustrated by Aimée Sicuro ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2024

Almost as fun as a day at the beach.

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In this rhythmic concept book, seashells transform into everything from bathing caps to rocket ships.

“If you spot a shell, it could be your ride, cruising along a winding trail,” the omniscient narrator muses. Children pedal by on bicycles whose wheels have been replaced by seashells. Sicuro incorporates photographs of shells into her mixed-media illustrations. They stand out on each page—this book is less about seeking and finding and more about expanding the imagination. It succeeds at every turn. Each scene playfully suggests what shells could become, from beach umbrellas and headphones to a Ferris wheel and kites. The book follows a tan-skinned child, out for a day at the beach with a grown-up. Racially diverse background characters populate most scenes. Nature lovers can cross-check shells from each scene with the endpapers, which depict neat rows of photographed whelks, scallops, and more, accompanied by labels in cursive. Others will revel in wondering what else shells could be used for. Either way, they’ll enjoy this tale, which encourages kids to use their imaginations and think outside the box. The book concludes with instructions for making a sand art project and creating shell rubbings.

Almost as fun as a day at the beach. (craft instructions) (Picture book. 3-6)