About This Book

"Who's sick today?" asks the cockatoo teacher, and curious children will be amazed to see how many reasons an unlikely assortment of animals can have for their absence! Brief rhymes are sure to spark a giggle or two as they introduce the invalids:

A snake with an ache, beavers with fevers, a chimp with a limp, stoats with sore throats...

Cherry is best known for her environmental picture books, including The Great Kapok Tree and A River Ran Wild, and her softly shaded, carefully detailed pictures give the anthropomorphic creatures realistic animal characteristics — bristles, fur, feathers — along with their very human personalities. Young readers will find much to observe on each double-page spread, and will take heart in what they see, including favorite toys that make even an unfamiliar bed a comfortable place to rest. Attentive mom and dad animals, friendly doctors and nurses, and plenty of well-wishers are on hand to reassure both readers and sick animals that the recovery process doesn't have to be scary. As final proof, a happy ending features the return to class of a porcupine who's feeling fine.