Tag: Veronica Goodman

M Is For Medicine (Veronica Goodman)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is M Is For Medicine, written by Veronica Goodman and illustrated by Nicole Jones Sturk, fourth in a series of profession-based alphabet books.

Just like the format of L Is For Law and E Is For Economics before it, each letter is given an element of medicine to illustrate – A is for ambulance, B is for bandage, and so on. Accompanying each subject is a cheerful illustration, often employing a clever visual gag to get a chuckle out of adult readers, particularly those in the medical field; for instance, depicting (I is for) interns as a gaggle of wailing infants, or a guiltily grinning child and her pup in a bathroom, both covered in bandaids. By Z (is for Zoom In, as with a microscope), little readers will have learned some of the lingo of the medical field.

This was a natural progression of this series, and I was happy to see it – there will always be a need for books that demystify the medical world for nervous little patients, and this book is a great resource for that. Showing smiling personnel, brightly colored spaces, and even the lighter, more humorous side of the medical field, little ones can learn a little more about their doctors’ and nurses’ world along with practicing their ABCs. Sturk’s bubbly characters are still refreshingly diverse, and a page that depicts D is for Doctor as a group of men and women of varied ages and ethnicities is great; I only wish the same had been done for N is for Nurse, which missed the opportunity by showing a lone white woman. Also missing is a glossary of terms – while many, like “ambulance” or “hospital” are fairly self-explanatory, terms like “quality of care” or “on-call” may be less familiar to those with non-medical backgrounds. Still, for timid patients such as JJ, or little ones interested in growing up to be healthcare providers, this is a great way to introduce the world of medicine. The length was great, and we recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

L Is For Law (Veronica Goodman)

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(Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were unable to post last night’s review on time. Sorry for the delay!)

Hello, friends! Our book today is L Is For Law, written by Veronica Goodman and illustrated by Nicole Jones Sturk, an alphabet book for aspiring esquires.

Following the same format as its prequel, E Is For Economics, little readers are introduced to various concepts and terms from the legal world: A is for Attorney, B is for Bar Exam, C is for Class Action, and so on. Each letter and term is accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek illustration that interprets the definition of the term in either a literal or comedic way.

This was neat! While I still wish that the book would include short text definitions for some of the terms that may not be as familiar to those outside the legal field – Three L, Quiet Enjoyment, etc. – most of the terms chosen are well-known enough that the layman can explain them to little ones and enjoy the jokes in the illustrations. And once again, the art is great, using things like children playing a game of Telephone to describe “hearsay”, or a sly-looking cat about to knock a vase off a table for “intent”. The length is very easy for a quick read, and JJ loved the colorful illustrations. A satisfying follow-up to its predecessor, and a fun book for lawyers to share with the little bookworms in their lives. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

E Is For Economics (Veronica Goodman)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is E Is For Economics, written by Veronica Goodman and illustrated by Nicole Jones Sturk, a playfully financial-themed alphabet book for budding baby economists.

Little readers are introduced to various economic principles and figures, from “A is for Adam Smith” (philosopher/father of modern economics) to “Z is for Zero Sum” (a situation in which whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other). Each term is accompanied by an adorably colorful illustration, often a literal or figurative interpretation of the subject, and sometimes with a tongue-in-cheek twist of humor.

Niche alphabet books are a fun concept that is rapidly gaining popularity, and this one has a lot going for it. There’s a good mix of subjects, and the art is clever, rich, and colorful (JJ especially enjoyed the illustrations and creative typesets). However, I really, really wish that a short definition of the terms or people being introduced had been included in each page, or even in a glossary in the back. I understood a few of the rudimentary terms, and when I did, it added so much to be experience – the clever visual gags alone were instantly more appealing. But there were industry terms that I didn’t understand, and those pages simply fell flat (it should be noted that my husband, who works in finance and spent several years studying economics, thought the whole book was a scream!). This one has such promise, and for a reader who is well-versed in economics and could explain the subject to their little one, it would be an amazing book to share. But for laymen, it can be a bit of a puzzle. We’re going to call this one Baby Bookworm approved – but if you’re not an economist yourself, maybe hit up Wikipedia for a crash course in definitions first.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)