Tag Archives: hospitals

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Tagged as 2 point of views, adopt, anger, cancer, cancer diagnosis, canine, canine friend, children's book, conflicting emotions, disease, emotions and feelings book, fear, friend, God, happiness, healing, hospitals, kindness, love, medical, pet adoption, picture book, pup, sadness, therapy dogs, young kids

July 1, 2025 · 7:00 am

Good Job, Arya! by Miranda Miller and P.J. (Book Review)

BOOM! The doors swing open—and here comes Arya Bear.

She’s not here to do tricks.

She’s not here to talk.

She’s here to help—just by being exactly who she is.

With her pink bow, wild hair, and a tail that wags 100 miles per hour, Arya brings joy, calm, and just the right kind of chaos to the people who need it most.

Inspired by real-life visits, Arya Bear Adventures: Good Job, Arya! follows a registered therapy dog as she comforts kids and families during her hospital work. This gentle, heartwarming story helps young readers understand the powerful role therapy dogs play—just by showing up and being themselves.

Written by Yup’ik author Miranda Miller and her 4-year-old co-author, P.J., this book brings real moments to life through the eyes of a young child and his best furry friend. Perfect for ages 3–5, dog lovers, classrooms, and anyone who’s ever felt better just because a dog was there.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

What is a therapy dog, and how does it differ from a service dog? Service dogs are trained to help one person with specific tasks, like guiding a blind person or alerting someone with diabetes when their blood sugar is high or low. On the other hand, therapy dogs help many people by providing comfort and companionship. These canine caretakers visit hospitals, schools, and nursing homes to help people feel calm, happy, and safe. Arya is an energetic therapy pooch who loves their job. Her tail moves at lightning speed, eager to help those in need. With a shake of her head, the pink ribbon falls, their hair poofs up, and many patients’ low spirits are instantly lifted. And if Arya’s wild fur and pink leg warmers don’t cause you to smile, wait until she presents her belly and rolls back and forth. No one can resist the silly dog. Or can they? Has Arya finally met someone whose mood can’t be lifted?

Arya notices a boy sitting all by themselves outside a hospital room. No tears. No smile. The therapy dog calmly approaches the quiet child and waits to see how the boy responds to them. Therapy animals enjoy making people feel better, so I imagine other canines would be just as confused as Arya when their presence and tricks appear to have no effect on the darling child. However, Arya’s patience and dedication are unwavering. Her efforts were celebrated with smiles, laughter, and hugs, proving that patience is oftentimes the key to success and inspiring us all with her resilience.

Arya’s visits play a vital role in a patient’s recovery. Arya and other therapy dogs’ visits can help lower stress, anxiety, and blood pressure while raising spirits. They, like doctors and nurses, are medical superheroes!

Good Job, Arya! is a cute, heartwarming story demonstrating service dogs’ remarkable impact on a patient’s emotional and physical health and even their visitors’ state of mind. This story is perfect for dog owners or canine fans, medical waiting rooms, or anyone who needs a reason to smile today.

My recommended reading age is 2-7 years.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Meet the Authors

Miranda Miller and Arya.

Miranda Miranda is an Indigenous Alaskan (Yup’ik) author, entrepreneur, and mother who writes with heart, purpose, and deep cultural pride. Based in Anchorage, Alaska, she blends the warmth of her Yup’ik roots with the joy and wonder of storytelling, inspired by her own life, her son’s imagination, and her beloved therapy dog, Arya Bear.

Miranda’s stories aren’t just tales—they’re lived experiences. Her debut children’s book series, Arya Bear Adventures, celebrates emotional wellness, connection, and kindness—infused with real-life hospital visits, community heroes, and the healing magic of animals. Each character is thoughtfully based on someone from her real world, from nurses to her own family.

A passionate advocate for authenticity and Indigenous representation in children’s literature, Miranda is building a storytelling legacy that reflects the love, resilience, and imagination at the heart of her family and culture.

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Tagged as canines, children's books, dogs, emotional health, health, hospitals, mental health, patients, physical health, picture book, sickness, superheroes, therapy dogs, well-being

May 19, 2025 · 7:00 am

There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids: Surgery Books for Kids by Nat Gibson (Book Review)

Is your little one getting ready for adenoid surgery? Do they also have a dinosaur-sized imagination?

When Ollie’s snoring interrupts his (and his brother’s) sleep, he discovers that a mischievous dinosaur might be to blame! Join him as he experiences the surgery process in a special way at the Dinosaur Catchers’ Camp (hospital)—where he’ll:

Receive a unique bracelet (hospital wristband)
Go to the weigh station (weight measurement)
Get an arm hug (blood pressure reading)
Wear special pajamas (hospital gown)
Put on a magic mask (anesthesia)
And finally, meet the Dinosaur Catchers (doctors) who will remove his adenoids and capture that silly little dinosaur!

Created to help ease worries by turning a real medical procedure into an exciting dinosaur-catching adventure, this book uses a mix of information and fantasy to help parents guide young children and toddlers through adenoid removal surgery and recovery—in a way that feels magical rather than scary.

For extra fun, have a small dinosaur ready for your child after surgery.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Nat Gibson is back with another fabulous picture book; this time, they are tackling the annoying snore-a-saurus!

Do you have someone in your life that snores? Whose snores cause you to lose out on precious hours of rest? As There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids: An Adenoid Surgery Book for Kids begins, we find James feeling frustrated over his brother’s loud honkfewww, a common situation in many shared bedrooms. James tries to gently wake his slumbering brother before finally shouting, “I can’t sleep.” Sweet Ollie expresses his apologies, but he can’t help it. He said it felt like something was blocking his nose. It’s time for Ollie to visit a doctor to find out the cause of his noisy nose and how to fix it. During the doctor’s visit, it’s revealed that a dinosaur is the culprit behind Ollie’s woes. It’s hiding behind the adenoids, blocking the airflow. The author understands that adenoids will probably be a new term for many children; therefore, they have included an easy-to-understand explanation and a funny illustration showing the dino giving a one-arm hug to a tiny, squishy blob (adenoid). Kids might assume, like Ollie, that if the problem is inside their nose, they should be able to dislodge it themselves. A nice thought that is expressed through four cute drawings.

Unfortunately, Ollie’s loud schnoz can only be fixed by removing the dinosaur from its hiding spot. In other words, he needs an operation. Hospitals can be a scary place for kids. The enormous size, bright lights, and mounting fear of what’s to come can make youngsters panic, especially when they hear the word surgery or operating room. They often fear going to sleep and never waking back up. That’s where There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids comes in handy! In this adorable story, Ollie didn’t go to a big, scary, intimidating hospital. No, they went to Dinosaur Catcher’s Camp, where a dino helper gave him a special bracelet (hospital wristband) that instructed the Dino Catchers on where to look for the troublesome dino.

Next, Ollie headed to the weighing station (the scale), where the unexpected happened. (No spoilers.) This leads readers to remember one should not eat before surgery. Every step in the pre-op procedure was simplified using kid-friendly terms, such as instead of saying blood pressure reading, the writer said, “arm hug.” The writer and illustrator never strayed away from the dino theme, not in text or design. Kids will love Ollie’s special pajamas: blue clothing, red cape, and yellow hat. Parents, educators, and medical personnel will love how the creators of this wonderful book took a potentially overwhelming and frightening situation and made it look not so scary. The dino catchers (surgeon) and their helpers (nurses) reassured Ollie and kids facing similar situations that they would never be alone during the whole process. The nurse continues to explain the nice aroma in the “magic mask” allows the team to safely capture the dino as Ollie catches some zzzz. The staff member’s comforting words put Ollie at ease and hopefully their words will do the same for readers of this delightful storybook.

While children might initially feel trepidation about the surgical process, the book’s humorous illustrations quickly turn fear into laughter and smiles. The dino’s antics and the final image are sure to bring a smile to their faces. If the dino images don’t do the trick, the thought of the popsicle room (AKA recovery room) certainly will!

Is your child feeling apprehensive about an upcoming nasal surgery? Do they have a family or friend who’s about to undergo a dino (adenoid) removal procedure? If you answered yes, I’d recommend sharing There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids with your child. It’s a silly but informative story that eases fears regarding what will happen before, during, and after the surgery.

I adored the illustrations, the dino theme, the simple dialogue, and how keywords stood out, thanks to brightly colored shading. I highly suggest sharing this stupendous story with your family and counting down the days to a peaceful night’s sleep!

The recommended reading age is 2-7 years.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Meet the Author

Nat Gibson lives in California with her husband and two children, both of whom had surgery before turning 4 years old. Her books are designed to help parents engage their child’s imagination as they go through new or difficult experiences.

Amazon Author Page Link

Reedsy Author Link

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Tagged as adenoids, anesthesia, blood pressure, book review, dinosaur, doctirs, early readers, educational fun, elementary school, fun characters, funny, hospitals, humorous illustrations, medical books for kids, nasal surgery, nurses, operating room, prepping for surgery, recovery, scales, snoring

August 12, 2024 · 7:00 am

There’s a Stegosaurus in My Tonsils by Nat Gibson (Book Review)

There’s a dinosaur scratching Liam’s throat.
And the only way to get it out is to remove its favorite hiding spot: Liam’s tonsils.

Young children and toddlers about to get their tonsils out will gently learn what to expect through the fun imagination of a little boy – with the focus on catching a dinosaur, rather than surgery.

When Liam learns his sore throat is caused by the dinosaur hiding behind his tonsils, his imagination runs wild. Join him on an adventure as he prepares to meet the Dinosaur Catchers, who will remove his tonsils and capture that mischievous little dinosaur.

With colorful illustrations, simple language and a unique, kid-friendly concept, this book is designed to help parents guide their little ones through tonsil surgery and recovery in a playful, imaginative way.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

“With colorful illustrations, simple language and a unique, kid-friendly concept, this book is designed to help parents guide their little ones through tonsil surgery and recovery in a playful, imaginative way.”

Being sick is never fun. Visiting a doctor is typically only fun if you get a lollipop or small toy from the goodie box at the end of your visit. And surgery? We all can agree that surgery is high on the no-fun list, too. Liam, the young boy in There’s a Stegosaurus in My Tonsils, has the misfortune to face all three things: a sore throat, a doctor’s visit, and a tonsillectomy.

As kids grow, they become more vocal about feeling under the weather and point out what hurts. They don’t typically say my tonsils hurt when they have a sore throat. They keep it more general. Why? Tonsils might be a word many kids do not know. When they hear their tonsils are red or swollen, they might wonder, What the heck are tonsils? Liam did, and his doctor explained what they were and how they were the perfect hiding spot for a little dinosaur.

This dinoriffic storybook demonstrates how a child’s imagination will run wild when their brain attempts to understand or visualize what someone says to them. While a dinosaur can’t really be living or stuck in your throat unless a child swallowed a teeny-tiny dino toy, a child’s mind might take the doctor’s words in the literal sense. They may come up with a catchy name for the unwelcome visitor, like tonsilsaurus rex, or say their throat is dino-sore. An act I thought the child would do in the book but didn’t.

Liam dreams about his dino visitor, and when he awakens, he is ready to remove the prehistoric animal from his throat with the help of the dinosaur catchers! It was very creative how the writer walks a patient through the surgical process by transforming the hospital into a less frightening place, a dinosaur wonderland. I loved every illustration, but my favorite ones have to be the dino catchers trying to wrangle a now-free green dinosaur and the broken scale scene. Nice dino bed, too!

Tonsillectomy is a large word that might sound scary to many children. Thanks to Nat Gibson’s imagination, kids will see the procedure in a new light. While the young patient might still feel anxious about the process, I know they’ll look forward to one aspect of the recovery: the milkshakes, popsicles, and ice cream! And, if your hospital is anything like the children’s hospitals near me, every patient awakens to gift on or new their bed. Maybe your child will awaken to their very own throat-a-saurus!

I recommend sharing this story with a child having any surgery, but definitely a tonsillectomy!

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 2-6 years.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤

Meet the Author

Nat Gibson lives in California with her husband and two children, both of whom had tonsillectomies before turning 4 years old. Her books are designed to help parents engage their child’s imagination as they go through new or difficult experiences.

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Tagged as animal, children's book, colorful illustrations, dinos, dinosaurs, doctor, hospitalizations, hospitals, nurses, patient, picture book, prehistoric animals, sore throat, surgery, toddlers, tonsillectomy, tonsils, young children, young readers

March 1, 2023 · 7:00 am

SURRENDER – How To Break Free From Addiction by Julian Morgan (Book Review)

Do you want to break free of the shackles of alcoholism or addiction? If so, then this is the book for you. Compelling, brave, and strong, ‘Surrender’ tells the true story of how Julian Morgan recovered from crippling alcoholism, and how he stays recovered on a daily basis using a simple, straightforward process. This moving, authentic book details his journey, from his near-fatal struggle with denial, helplessness and anxiety, to a whole new commitment and faith, paving the way to years of sobriety. ‘Surrender’ is no harrowing drinking memoir – it outlines a strong, positive self-care plan for optimum recovery, including tried and tested tools and skills to keep sober, centered and calm. It also offers advice on dealing with triggers and relapses. A sequence of heartfelt and humorous poems offers further explanation and hope. Written from the heart, ‘Surrender’ will open locked doors and show a new path to freedom.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Surrender – How To Break Free From Addiction was born during the first COVID lockdown in the UK when Julian Morgan (the author) watched a documentary featuring interviews with inmates where they were questioned about the underlying root of their incarceration. The majority claimed their predicament was due to alcohol or drug addiction and their helplessness to fight its control over their body.

Addiction can and will sink its teeth into anyone at any time. It doesn’t care about gender, skin color, social class, or where you call home. Surrender tells the true story of how Julian Morgan recovered from crippling alcoholism and how he stays recovered using a simple, straightforward process that he is now sharing with you.

Part one begins with the author opening up about his struggles with alcohol, everyone’s opinion regarding his drinking, and what led up to his time in rehab. He admitted he pretended to listen in group therapy sessions while secretly counting the hours to another sip of the ambrosia. His life became a recurring cycle of drinking, rehab, withdrawal, release, recovery, and back to drinking, each time more heavily. His addiction and the inability to keep the beast at bay caused an emergency room visit. Many readers who fight battles like Julian can empathize with every emotion the writer felt while lying alone for a week in the hospital.

Julian had hit rock bottom and was ready for change. He was now prepared to seek help and actively participate in the process. He was all in! The healing process makes you look inwards, acknowledge weaknesses, and find ways to combat them. It’s imperative in the healing process to make amends and find a support system when you graduate from rehab.

Those who have ever suffered from addiction will agree with Julian’s statement, “Addiction was my life, my daily existence, totally smothering me and dictating whatever I did, wherever I went, and poisoning every person I met.” Like many others, Julian reached out to a higher power to help him battle and control his addiction. However, his journey wouldn’t have been successful without going through rehab, discovering his triggers, setting boundaries, and not ignoring the three stages of relapse: emotional, mental, and physical.

Relapses can and will happen, and feelings that arise from them can cause many addicts to give up, thinking, “What’s the point?” There might be those around you, family and friends, who feed into your self-doubt, shame, and guilt, causing you to sink further into the abyss. Julian gives sound advice on this situation, “Please do not forget that their opinion has no value at all unless you decide to give it any.”

Addiction will never completely vanish from our society. With that said, Surrender – How To Break Free From Addiction does give addicts the tools and hope that they will reach a stage where their addiction is not controlling their life, but instead, they are controlling it.

If you are suffering or have suffered from any form of addiction, I recommend you read the book. Sometimes seeing other people’s struggles and success propels a person in motion to try what they think is impossible.

I wish everyone reading this review the best of luck!

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤

Meet the Author

I travelled extensively overseas and have had a highly successful career in the security industry. I now concentrate on writing and poetry reflecting my journey with alcohol addiction, as only one in seven people worldwide suffering from alcohol and drug use disorder receive treatment.