Review: The Moose with Loose Poops

Title:  The Moose with Loose Poops

Author:  Charlotte Cowan, M.D.

Illustrator:  Penelope Neal

Review Copy Provided by:  Author Marketing Experts, Inc.

About the Book:  Four-year-old Miles develops a tummy ache while on a family picnic in Maine. His planned camping trip with Papa (complete with canoeing and fishing) is postponed when throwing up (oops!) and diarrhea (loose poops) develop. Mama, Papa and Lucy Moose take excellent care of Miles at home. Of course, they are helped by their kindly pediatrician, Dr. Hippo, who advises that fluid is the best medicine for Miles. Will Miles recover in time to go camping with Papa under a special, star-filled sky?

My Review:  Moose with Loose Poops is from the Dr. Hippos Series, which includes other books about an elephant with an earache, a polar bear with a cold, a frog with a fever of 104, and a giraffe with a sore throat.  Each book is written by a board-certified pediatrician.  This is the first of this series that I have read or even heard about.  I wouldn't recommend it for use in the classroom, but it is one to definitely have at home to reassure little ones when they are sick.  I read this aloud as my husband and I were going out of town this weekend and he even commented that it was a good book for parents to use at home.  Dr. Cowan does a great job of writing a story that entertains yet explains, in a childlike way, the details of having gastroenteritis or diarrhea.  For a child, it can be a scary thing, and if they can read about it, in a non-threatening way, it may help to ease theri pain just a little.  I enjoyed how simle this book is so that young kids can truly understand.  I will be recommending this series to my nurse to keep in her clinic so that she can share them with little ones when they come in sick and scared.  A hand washing song is even included that would be great to teach to children so that they wash their hands well to get all the germs off, which in turn will keep them from getting sick.  The illustrator, Ms. Neal uses vivid colors in her pictures that kids will enjoy. They are realistic looking as well, which helps to make the story more real to the child.  The other thing I like about this book and the series, is that each book comes with a parent's guide for each sickness.  It is laminated and answers simple questions like: "How Will I Know That My Child Has Gastroenteritis?" "When Should I worry/Call the Doctor?" and others.  I would love to read the rest of the books in this series.