Little Doctor and the Fearless Beast

by Sophie Gilmore (Author)

Little Doctor and the Fearless Beast
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Crocodiles come from far and wide to seek Little Doctor's care. She treats each one with skill and kindness--even the toughest crocs with thick skins and large, powerful jaws. Little Doctor marvels at these fearless beasts, listening to their stories, while she diagnoses and cures what ails them. But when she meets Big Mean, the largest crocodile in the land with jaws clamped tightly shut, Little Doctor can't figure out what's wrong. And she might be just a little bit afraid. When one creative idea lands Little Doctor right inside Big Mean's tremendous jaws, she is sure she'll be munched or crunched--until she sees that Big Mean isn't so horrible, after all. As it turns out, the crocodile is only protecting her hatchlings, all tangled in plastic, inside her mouth. Watercolor illustrations create a richly imagined world in this awe-inspiring story about how even little kids can be fearless, and even big, mean creatures sometimes need help.
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Hardcover
$17.95

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Little Doctor is a girl with rosy cheeks, brown hair, and a white lab coat, and her clinic's population is made up of crocodiles. She removes their splinters and frees them from snares, and in return they entertain her with legends of "terrible danger, dizzying escapes, and acts of great mischief." With delicate lines, debut author Gilmore imagines Little Doctor's tidy working space and the different ways she cares for the reptiles, who are portrayed both sympathetically and without sentiment. One day, Big Mean appears at Little Doctor's clinic, fierce and massive, her jaw clamped shut. The girl does her best to diagnose the trouble, but it takes some doing--and a moment of terror--before her treatment wins praise from Big Mean herself. Gilmore's breezy tone keeps scariness at bay ("But moments passed, and she was not munched nor crunched"), and her illustrations are at once dreamy and believable. The conceit of a primary school-aged child who is already a seasoned medical professional provides charm from the outset, and Little Doctor's bravery comes from wisdom and kindness. Another quiet lesson concerns the threat that humans pose to wild animals. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Why is a child living alone in the jungle? How does that child understand the language of crocodiles and what they need for healing? These questions remain unknown, but readers willing to accept the mysterious premise enter a thoughtfully unique story. Little Doctor, as the crocodiles call the child, lovingly cares for the creatures who visit her cabin clinic. In return, the crocs tell her thrilling stories full of danger, escapes, and mischief. One day, however, a beast arrives at Little Doctor's door who is bigger and more frightening than any she has seen before. The child does not know how to help Big Mean, menacingly silent and with no visible injuries. The illustrations and book design skillfully further the action of the story. In a climactic scene, Big Mean's jaws open so wide they go from edge to edge of a spread. VERDICT Atmospheric and quietly humorous, the story shows influences as varied as Tarzan and Where the Wild Things Are, and will appeal to fans of adventure and legends.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Gilmore's breezy tone keeps scariness at bay... and her illustrations are at once dreamy and believable. The conceit of a primary school-aged child who is already a seasoned medical professional provides charm from the outset, and Little Doctor's bravery comes from wisdom and kindness."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781771473446
Lexile Measure
700
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Owlkids
Publication date
March 15, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV015020 - Juvenile Fiction | Health & Daily Living | Diseases, Illnesses & Injuries
JUV039000 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | General
JUV002010 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Alligators & Crocodiles
Library of Congress categories
Courage
Courage in children
Determination (Personality trait)
Girls
Crocodiles
Determination (Personality trait) in children

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