Hospital Heroes Save the Day! Written and illustrated by R. W. Alley. Kane Press, Astra. Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 5 and up

 

"Next, Lemur gets to pick out a favorite smell 
to slip into his going-to-sleep mask. 
At the same time, in the Scrub Room,
Doctor Otter and Surgical Nurse Moose 
get ready, too. 
They wash from paws to elbows. They help
each other into extra surgical scrubs. It's 
all about keeping the germs away."

Revisiting Breezy Valley is sure to be a real treat for those who read Mr. Alley's first book in the Breezy Valley at Work series, Firefighters to the Rescue. As they are sure to remember; the book's pages are filled with charming animals who work together to make their community a better and safer place. 

The community is now anticipating tomorrow's Parade Day, starring 'the amazing ONE-LEMUR BAND. Hospital workers are on their way to begin another day of caring for the patients who will need them. Every floor is filled with the hustle and bustle that accompanies the work they do. Artwork and telling text keep readers apprised of the work that happens throughout the hospital on a daily basis. 

The pace for the telling is quick. Workers are followed as they go about the work that keeps the sick and injured comfortable. Workers and their responsibilities are shown in descriptive, boxed panels meant to reassure and inform. The hospital work is ongoing. An emergency situation is described when Lemur, the star of the parade, is transported by ambulance with a tail that is hurting mightily. 

Each step in the care and the workers involved are described and shown so that the children who are sharing this book will have a clear idea of all that happens in a medical workplace. I pored over the illustrations and descriptions carefully, and know that children will find what they need to capture  attention, answer their questions, and provide for important discussion. That is the true value of taking the time to carefully peruse each and every page. The information is offered in accessible language and backed up with excellent artwork. Any child with a hospital visit in their future will find reassurance here. 

What about the parade? Will Lemur still be the star of the show, following the care given by the heroic staff at Breezy Valley Hospital? What do you think?