Review by Booklist Review
Artist and fabric designer Everett's debut picture book introduces listeners to a range of service animals employed to assist those in need. Using succinct text and minimalist art, she describes animals that help people talk about their problems (horses), lessen their fear of flying (tortoises), warn of oncoming seizures (snakes), and reduce stress for elderly Alzheimer's patients (pigs). Some examples will be familiar to young listeners (cats and rabbits for comforting; dogs for the blind and deaf), but they may be less familiar with monkeys that assist paralyzed people, ferrets used to comfort those with autism, and dogs trained to warn diabetics of blood-sugar-level changes. The simple, whimsical illustrations are placed against a white background and use a limited color palette: grays, yellow, purple, and brown. Spreads are composed of one text page (set against a solid-color background) paired with a full-page illustration. Appended with further information about each animal, this will make a good fit for primary story hours and those seeking information about service animals.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
From guide dogs to therapy pigs, Everett introduces a small menagerie of service, therapy, and support animals.In two sentences per page, the author describes such helpers as CAT, who snuggles with hospital patients; DOG, who helps blind and deaf people "to cross the road, get on the bus, and stay safe"; and DOG'S FRIEND, another dog who detects low blood sugar. Readers also meet lesser-known helpers such as SNAKE, who detects impending seizures, and MONKEY, who assists people who are paralyzed. With thick, rounded lines and large, simple figures, facing pages show each animal assisting or comforting a smiling human in a minimal, stylized setting. The humans' complexions range from light to dark; their nearly identical smiles give their button-eyed faces an unfortunate, doll-like blankness. The author's encouragement to "keep an eye out for opportunities to be a little helper yourself to someone in need!" does not include the common etiquette of asking permission before providing assistance. Awkwardly splitting different types of service dog into DOGS and OTHER DOGS, a glossary explains the featured critters' tasks in more detail. These explanations are somewhat more complex than the primary text, rendering them inaccessible to younger readers--and although older children may appreciate the glossary, they may find the main text and illustrations too simplistic to hold their interest until then.Well-intentioned but visually bland and textually inconsistent. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
