Sammy's Broken Leg (Oh, No!) and the Amazing Cast That Fixed It is about a happy, active girl who likes to "run and twirl and skip and jump all day." When she goes for a jump on her trampoline and topples off, her leg is badly hurt and Sammy's mother must take her to the Emergency Room for help.
Step by step, Sammy's Broken Leg goes through what happens when a bone is broken. First, Sammy gets a shot to help her with the pain. She's x-rayed and given a cast that goes from her chest, all the way down both legs. A bit of magic happens in the operating room, as Sammy's getting her cast: "a thousand bazillion kisses" from her friends and relatives fly into the room and make their way into Sammy's cast.
When Sammy awakens, she learns the many rules about taking care of her cast and at home she discovers the frustrations. She can't move very well, can't fit in her favorite clothing, bathtime and bathroom time are a big ordeal. But, her friends bring her things to do and she gets to watch extra TV, so there's some good in being stuck in a cast, as well.
Highly recommended - Through vivid illustrations and simple language, Sammy's Broken Leg (Oh, No!) and the Amazing Cast That Fixed It walks children through the entire process of treating a broken bone, from the injury itself to the hospital experience, life at home in a cast, the scary process of having a cast removed by a noisy saw, and finally, the recovery. Sammy's emotions at each step are nicely described. I've buried the email I recieved from the publicist but as I recall, the author was prompted to write this book when a child she loved broke a bone and she was unable to find a book that described what the child would experience.
Sammy's Broken Leg would be equally great for doctor's offices, schools, and for reading at home. I received a paperback copy for review and it was damaged in the delivery so I'd recommend springing for the hardback. If you're ever looking for a book to donate in quantity as a public service, I think this would be an excellent choice. I know First Responders often keep stuffed animals to give to injured or sick children and I'm sure ER doctors or pediatricians would love to have plenty of this book to hand out. Teachers may enjoy it, as well, since it's not unusual for children to break a bone at school and classmates are undoubtedly every bit as curious about what happens to their friends as the children going through the process.
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Thank you for your lovely review of my book...and your recommendations for sources that should have it on hand!
ReplyDeleteYou remembered correctly: I was inspired to write it when my granddaughter, then 2, broke her femur and spent a mostly miserable month in a chest-to-ankle cast. More at www.sammysbrokenleg.com.
Best,
Judith
You're welcome. I loved it! And, I truly believe it would be a good book for doctors to stock up on. That must have been awful for your granddaughter. I have a 2-year-old grandddaughter and she is a bundle of energy!
DeleteAbsolutely. While I think it would be good for doctors to have on hand, it's a good story, in and of itself and it would certainly help if a child already has read about broken bones, if they happen to break one!
ReplyDelete