FELIX FEELS BETTER

Toddlers and their parents love the humor of Wells’s bestselling Max and Ruby board books and the bright, believable animal characters in her illustrations for Opie’s quintessential Mother Goose collections (My Very First Mother Goose, 1996, etc.). Younger preschoolers who are ready to move on from Max and Mother Goose will be just the right age for this short, simple, but satisfying story about a guinea pig named Felix who ate “too many chocolate blimpies and stayed up way too late,” causing the little guy to bounce on his bed with sugar-induced glee. Well, what happens when we burn the midnight oil and overindulge in unhealthy goodies? Felix doesn’t feel well in the morning, and after trying all the traditional motherly remedies (chamomile tea, fresh air, and a bowl of prunes), his mama takes him to see Dr. Duck. The little guinea pig is in that afraid-to-visit-the-doctor phase, but Dr. Duck proves to be a kindly pediatrician who fixes Felix’s tummy-ache with two spoons of “Happy Tummy” supplemented by a long nap and comforting tea and toast. Wells has created another charming anthropomorphic character with amusing expressions on his furry little face, perfectly capturing that horrid “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” feeling. Felix’s story not only provides some subtle lessons in good health habits and coping with mild illness, but also confirms the reassuring results of a mother’s tender loving care. (Picture book. 2-5)