Taking Care of Me

January 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 1-This informational, colorful picture book features the beloved characters of Sesame Street, who provide information about practicing healthy habits. The text recommends familiar behaviors, including eating fruits and vegetables, enjoying movement and exercise, wearing sunscreen, and getting enough sleep. The text also emphasizes the importance of staying home when you are ill, wearing a mask in public, and washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds by singing the ABCs. Spending time with loved ones and taking part in enjoyable activities are other examples of healthy behaviors. The book features clear, concise sentences; the images depict recognizable Sesame Street characters and racially diverse children and their families who practice each healthy habit. One photograph shows a girl who has Down syndrome running track, but otherwise, the people appear to be straight-size and able-bodied. An index and a short glossary are included. VERDICT A solid choice for developing public health collections for the very young.-Kelly Topita, Anne Arundel County P.L., MD

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February 15, 2021
Preschool-Grade 2 Upbeat and positive, this book includes timely images of children and Muppets wearing fun face coverings. The text emphasizes personal responsibility, encouraging children to develop healthy habits as important facets of self-care, not simply because an adult says to. The book is divided into three sections: ""Healthy Me,"" ""Being Healthy,"" and ""Make It a Habit."" Bright graphics and color photos show children of varying skin and hair colors along with popular Sesame Street characters as they demonstrate such healthy habits as eating fruits and vegetables, brushing and flossing teeth, bathing and washing hands, using sunscreen, wearing bike helmets, resting, and exercising. Mental health is addressed with an appropriately light touch, recommending that readers ""do things that make you happy," like dancing or playing soccer. Easy-to-read, direct text is printed with plenty of space around the letters and occasionally appears in large speech bubbles. While it is aimed at a young audience, the book also includes helpful nonfiction text features such as a table of contents, glossary, and index.

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December 1, 2020
Build healthy habits with suggestions from your favorite Sesame Street friends. In a foreword, the editors at Sesame Street Workshop remind readers that "before you can help take care of your family, friends, or neighbors, it's important to learn how to take care of yourself." Each ensuing double-page spread features three to five sentences--many voiced by a Muppet friend--that share health tips. Some suggestions are especially timely: "Elmo sings the ABC. Then Elmo knows Elmo has washed [his hands] long enough!" or "Wear a mask when you leave your home. That helps stop germs from spreading." Other advice, which ranges from wearing sunscreen to eating fruits and veggies, is more general. Along the way, large, colorful pictures of children (a racially diverse cast) and Muppets guide readers by modeling healthy actions. The book doesn't break any new ground--or even tread old ground in a new and exciting way--but it will be a useful tool for caregivers who need the occasional celebrity endorsement (watching Cookie Monster brush his teeth might boost compliance in a way that adult admonishments can't) to help reinforce positive behaviors. Rudimentary backmatter is included, but its brevity may undercut the overall usefulness for many. Basic and serviceable. (glossary, bibliography, index) (Informational picture book. 3-5)

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