4 out of 4 stars
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I've been blessed in life. As a child I was allergic to peaches, and I have a very mild (if not nonexistent) allergy to bees, but otherwise I'm entirely allergy free! Woohoo! However, I have known people with allergies and seen first hand how they affect their lives. I've seen my ex sit for over an hour in immense pain every time she accidentally ingested the slightest amount of gluten, and my fiancé has dealt with allergies her entire life, from food allergens to scents. Allergies are awful, and coincidentally we recently had a conversation about how people with allergies are often mocked and told they're merely being sensitive.
That mindset makes books like Special Food for Sam: Allergies by Dr. Nicole Audet so important. Dr. Nicole is a family doctor and children's book author who focuses on various health concepts, illnesses and injuries. There are eight books in the Felix and Booboo series, and they feature young Felix and his magical doctor's bag that's full of various things a doctor would use, but they're all cute animate objects with names and personalities. Booboo is the stethoscope, but there are also others including Hot, the thermometer; Mr. Long, the measuring tape; and Toc, the reflex hammer.
In Special Food for Sam: Allergies, the focus is clearly allergies. Sam has won a gold medal in soccer, and Felix offers to bake him some cookies as a reward. That's when Sam springs his big surprise on him: he's allergic to eggs, nuts and cow milk. That's not going to make baking cookies very easy at all, but Felix doesn't want to let him down!
The writing in Special Food for Sam: Allergies walks that thin line between educational and still comprehendible for children. The various characters manage to discuss what allergies are, what happens when someone who's allergic to something comes in contact with their allergen and whether or not allergies are contagious. In Felix and Booboo's world, it seems like everything is alive, and the eggs, milk and nuts get upset as they watch cookies being made without them. They even go as far as to explain how nuts are full of Omega-3, how milk is rich in calcium and how eggs prevent cookies from being hard and flat. While all of that learning is happening, it's still very entertaining, and for those who enjoy doing voices while they read aloud they'll have plenty of fun opportunities here.
The illustrations are also lovely. Mylène Villeneuve did a fantastic job with the expressions on characters' faces: I could feel the rage on Milky's face when she learned she wouldn't be in the cookies, and I could see the concern on Felix's face when he asks if he can catch Sam's allergies by touching him. I reviewed a digital version of the book on my phone, so the images were all rather small, but even there I was easily able to read the words on the pages.
I really enjoyed Special Food for Sam: Allergies, and it's something I hope lots of kids read so they can learn how dangerous allergies can be. The recommended age on Amazon is 4-9, and I agree with that, especially if you're willing to help answer questions younger children might have. I do wish some things were explained a little more; Omega-3, lactose and calcium are all mentioned but not defined. Everything else is explained very well, and these can easily be looked up online if you don't have knowledge about them already. This is absolutely the only flaw I saw with the book, so I'm happy to give it 4 out of 4 stars. People who have kids with allergies probably won't need this book for their children, but if your kids have ever asked why they can't bring peanuts or peanut butter to school, this is a perfect way to explain it to them.
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Special Food for Sam (ePub)
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