We Can Help!: A First Book of First Aid

Scouts and aspiring doctors and nurses will enjoy this introduction to first aid, in which protagonists Nikki and Enzo play a game called “Accidents,” where dinosaurs hit their heads and a train driver gets a cut and a bloody nose. Luckily, their mom is a doctor who helps the kids find ways to fix everyone’s problems. The accidents are happening to toys, not people, so it is a comfortable way to introduce big topics that could be scary. The comforting parental figure empowers children to understand and teaches them how react to common injuries and ailments—bumps, cuts, allergies, nosebleeds, stomach bugs. The book also discusses when to call 911 and the importance of knowing one’s address and phone number. The framing of the story through play is effective in keeping an informative book from becoming emotionally overwhelming. Facts about care are written in slightly smaller print so readers can save those for the end; there are also pages explaining common items in a first aid kit. The illustrations are in gentle pastel blues and bright yellows to keep the story upbeat; the color and toys work in tandem to make the story visually pleasing.