Official Review: That Needle Is Not For Me

[Eareeves99]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "That Needle Is Not For Me" by Avalon Soulette Brown.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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That Needle Is Not For Me by Avalon Soulette Brown is a great little picture book about a young girl's fear of needles and overcoming that fear so she can receive the necessary vaccines for school. Brooklyn and her mom go to the doctor for her annual visit. The doctor's office is a pleasant place with toys, other children to play with, and friendly staff. When Brooklyn sees Dr. Blue, she discovers that she must have a shot to be allowed at school. The remainder of the story is how the adults and Brooklyn work together to accomplish the needed outcome.

I think the concept behind the book is both necessary and engaging. Many children, as well as many adults, fear needles. While most adults can power through it, children often lack the understanding and experience to do the same. The illustrations were colorful and captivating. There is a great amount of diversity among the characters, making it easy for children to identify with the surroundings regardless of their heritage. I like that while Brooklyn's age is not given, she is pictured as being young enough to sit and play, but not so little that older children would feel like the book is addressing just toddlers or preschoolers. The only problem I find in the storyline is at the ending. While nothing tragic, the book ends on a bit of a sour note and I believe children could be encouraged with something more positive.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars, with the fourth star withheld due to the lack of professional editing. When the grammar and punctuation issues are corrected, I will have no hesitation in giving the book a 4-star review. This book would appeal to young children through late elementary, approximately ages 3-10 years old, as well as their parents or guardians. The text would need to be read aloud to younger children due to the complexity of the text.

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That Needle Is Not For Me
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[Bookworm101520]

This book would be fantastic to read with my preschoolers! Books are such a great way to get a message like this across. Thanks for a great review.

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

I guess I should purchase the book not just for the kids but for me also. To this day, I am afraid of needles . Great review.

[Ijay +]

Sounds like a great read for kids. Lol, might even need it myself. I've totally not gotten over my fear of needles. Thanks for the good review.

[Luluwa79]

Seems like a fantastic read, I would love to read this book for my younger ones.
Thanks for the review.

[Vannaskivt]

I am a Certified Child Life Specialist and my entire job is to help children cope well during procedures. These types of books are absolutely necessary but must be written with accurate concepts and language in mind. I'm glad the author uses the term 'needle' rather than 'shot' and I'll pick this up to see if it would be helpful in my practice. Thank you for the review.