(3) PS "I really don't want to... / but I have to," thinks a crocodile heading for his dentist's office; "I really don't want to, but I have to," thinks the dentist, readying his instruments for the croc. Likewise identical thoughts ("I'm ready for the worst!" and so on) form this comically clever appeal to consider others' feelings. Gomi's doughy-looking cartoonish illustrations are toothsome throughout.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Seedlings: Community Life series. With glossy photos and very simple sentences in large type, these well-designed introductions to community-helping careers are suited to emerging readers new to nonfiction. The texts cover the bare essentials, including each job's purpose and basic details of the work being done. A concluding photo-diagram points out a handful of supplies and equipment. Also available in Spanish. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Seedlings: Community Life titles: Construction Workers, Dentists, Farmers, Nurses, Teachers, and Veterinarians.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 My Day Learning Health and Safety series. Each slight easy-reader text enumerates multiple straightforward ways that the child characters--and young readers--can take care of their bodies. David gets exercise through biking; Emily wears sunscreen to the park; Pearl brushes her teeth twice each day. Bright, relevant full-page photos provide new readers with resting points on every spread. Follow-up questions encouraging personal connections are appended. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these My Day Learning Health and Safety titles: David's New Bike, Emily Goes to the Park, and Pearl's New Tooth.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 Bumba Books: Hooray for Community Helpers! series. This serviceable series covers a variety of community-helping careers. Each book has brightly colored pages; large type; and cheery stock photos featuring men, women, and kids of different ethnicities. Some volumes are simplistic, but question bubbles ("How might gloves keep a worker's hands safe?") will help young readers think more about the topics. A photographic "tools" guide is appended. Also available in Spanish. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Bumba Books: Hooray for Community Helpers! titles: Hooray for Dentists!, Hooray for Doctors!, Hooray for Firefighters!, Hooray for Garbage Collectors!, Hooray for Librarians!, and Hooray for Mail Carriers!

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) 1-3 Gumazing Gum Girl! series. With Luke Reynolds. Gum Girl is Gabby Gomez's superhero alter-ego. Her dentist father doesn't approve of gum-chewing, so she has to keep her identity secret while dealing with a bully at school, defeating a villain, and being a good sister. Assisted by black, white, pink, and purple comic book–style illustrations, this second installment maintains the series' over-the-top tone. The fast-paced text includes scattered Spanish phrases.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) K-3 Little Pebble: Healthy Me series. Full-color photos and a very simple text with level-appropriate information follow one young girl's steps to good oral hygiene: brushing and flossing, choosing healthy foods and beverages, and finally getting routine care from both the dental hygienist and the dentist. The cheery book could also be good practice for emergent readers. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 The second installment in Tom's bizarre saga finds him no further evolved. Enmeshed in his underperforming band DogZombies, Tom avoids homework; the dentist; his teacher's beady-eyed stare; and, of course, his grumpy, insult-wielding sister, Delia. The whole isn't very cohesive, but the combination of snarky text with clever doodles solidifies the series' appeal for readers who appreciate visual gags.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mary O'Keefe Young. Written by Monica Perez. George the monkey is afraid of going to the dentist. When, however, he sees an even more frightened child, he cheers the child up--and creates chaos. In the process he discovers the dentist isn't scary after all. George's romp, in this didactic and predictable story, is accompanied by cheerful watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations reminiscent of H. A. Rey's originals.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Think About series. Illustrated by Emily Bolam. These animal physiology/human body (animal/human behavior for Smile) hybrids follow a similar pattern. Silly animal questions ("Does a zebra go to the doctor?") and informative answers ("A zebra grazes in the wild") are followed by simple discussions on human health and behavior. Bolam's inviting illustrations make the most of the premise and reflect the texts' informal tone. Prompts for further investigation are appended. Review covers these Think About titles: Does a Hipppo Go to the Doctor?, Does a Seal Smile?, Does a Tiger Go to the Dentist?, and Does an Owl Wear Eyeglasses?.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Community Helpers series. Illustrated by Kyle Poling. In each book introducing a community-benefitting career, schoolchildren meet one adult to learn about his or her job; information includes the training required to become a firefighter, doctor, etc., daily routines, and primary responsibilities. The content is inclusive and up-to-date but delivered through vapid stories. Peppy computer-generated cartoons are amateur. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Community Helpers titles: Let's Meet a Fire Fighter, Let's Meet a Librarian, Let's Meet a Police Officer, Let's Meet a Veterinarian, Let's Meet a Construction Worker, Let's Meet a Dentist, Let's Meet a Doctor, and Let's Meet a Teacher.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Handy Health Guides series. This series by a veteran health-writing team offers solid, clearly presented information on uncluttered, easy-to-navigate pages. The accessible texts are ably supported by well-chosen and -captioned photos and diagrams; sidebars feature related facts, activities, and health tips. Volumes focusing on disease discuss characteristics and causes, effective treatments, and prevention. There are six other fall 2013 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) PS All About Community Helpers series. A suitable supplement to a unit on communities, this series provides young children with a very basic overview of helping professions and how they contribute to the community. Large color photos accompany simple sentences describing the workers' various responsibilities. The information is minimal, but the texts are accessible. An illustrated list of two or three "Words to Know" opens each book. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these All About Community Helpers titles: [c2]Dentists Help Us, EMTs Help Us, Firefighters Help Us, Nurses Help Us, Police Help Us, Sanitation Workers Help Us, and Teachers Help Us.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Super SandCastle: Professional Tools series. Salzmann provides details about common medical and dental tools; explanations of their uses may help allay the fears of children on their way to a visit. "Fast Facts" enhance the scant main texts. The many photographs of smiling patients, in addition to labeled pictures of the tools, contribute to the reassuring tone. Matching games and short quizzes are appended. Glos. Review covers these Super SandCastle: Professional Tools titles: Dentist's Tools and Doctor's Tools.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) PS My First series. Illustrated by Michael Garton. Perpetually smiling characters experience typical firsts: anticipating a new sibling, attending school, going on a field trip, going to the dentist and the doctor, and visiting the emergency room. Omitting any discussion of emotions, the text is bland but straightforward, as are the illustrations. Glos. Review covers these QEB My First... titles: Baby Brother, School Day, School Trip, Visit to the Dentist, Visit to the Doctor, and Visit to the Hospital.

Reviewer: Sarah Novogrodsky

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Manon Gauthier. In town after having a tooth pulled, Marissa notices a homeless man. She gives him her tooth to put under his pillow "and there will be money there tomorrow." The text gently reminds us: "Now all he needed...was a pillow." The illustrations for this poignant, understated story show drab, frowning cityfolk; soft colors highlight the main characters and emphasize Marissa's generous gesture.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Personas de la comunidad series. This series explores different professions within the context of local and international communities. The texts are easy to read but can be vague or repetitive and lacking in substance (e.g., dentists, doctors, and veterinarians all use instrumentos). Clear photographs of culturally diverse people will attract young readers. The Spanish is passable, if occasionally stilted. Glos., ind. Review covers these Personas de la comunidad titles: La policía, Los bomberos, Los dentistas, Los maestros, Los médicos, and Los veterinarios.

Reviewer: Pamela Mishkin

(4) K-3 People in the Community series. This series provides youngsters with an introduction to community helpers. Each page features a color photograph accompanied by a very brief sentence; there's not a lot of substantive information being shared, but the easy-to-read text may give struggling readers confidence. Topics include what the helpers do, where they work, what they wear, and how they benefit their communities. Glos., ind. Review covers these People in the Community titles: Dentists, Doctors, Firefighters, Police Officers, Teachers, and Vets.

Reviewer: Maren Ostergard

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Liz Murphy. In this alphabet book, each word or phrase provides dental facts in order to promote healthy oral hygiene. The variety of topics (from hygienist's job to yellow teeth) makes for an unfocused approach, and some terms aren't adequately explained. Regardless, apprehensive patients will appreciate the matter-of-fact tone and cheerful collage and oil illustrations.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) PS Illustrated by Adrian Reynolds. The previous book was called Sammy and the Dinosaurs in the U.S., and Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs in the U.K. Now Sammy is Harry here, too. Harry's a bit nervous about the dentist, but his dinosaurs are so scared they threaten to bite the dentist. The text blends child-specific detail with fantasy, while the vibrant watercolors accentuate the humor.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2004

(4) PS My First series. These books, which employ crisp photos set against candy-colored backdrops, document familiar firsts: the first day of school, a new sibling, and a dental exam. Vacation describes some travel basics, however, this book seems more diffuse as the text and photos don't feature one child but a variety of travelers. The dutiful, somewhat rote text includes observations presented in dialogue balloons. Glos., ind. Review covers these My First titles: First Brother or Sister, First Day at School, First Vacation, and First Visit to the Dentist.

Reviewer: Nell Beram