The Moose With Loose Poops!
Thursday, April 2nd, 2009
Ugh. No one likes the stomach flu, especially when it comes with throwing up and
diarrhea. Children are often frightened and confused by
their symptoms. Worried parents are not much happier, wanting
to help their children feel better as quickly as possible.
While many
parents know that gastroenteritis — specifically diarrhea — is
common, most have no idea that it affects tens of millions of children
annually in the U.S., resulting in 1.5 million outpatient doctor
visits, 200,000 hospitalizations and 300 preventable deaths.
Dr. Charlotte Cowan decided to address this common childhood
ailment in The Moose with Loose Poops! ($17.95 hardcover,
www.drhippo.com), the newest book in her award-winning
Dr. Hippo Series (which includes Katie Caught a Cold, The Little
Elephant with the Big Earache, Peeper Has a Fever and Sadie’s
Sore Throat).
In this fun story, 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?
In this story for children ages 2-7, Dr. Cowan offers a clear and
child-friendly explanation of gastroenteritis. A board-certified pediatrician,
she captures the misery of tummy aches, caused first by
vomiting and then by diarrhea, and writes to educate, entertain and
comfort her small readers — as well as their parents.
This is a fun book that really reassures kids. The delightful
illustrations by Penelope Neal add so much. I wish I'd had this book when my son was in preschool!