Henning Löhlein

I like some books that are built around gimmicks, particularly if the gimmick is clever and original. In All Better, readers can remove five plastic band aids and apply them to the book. The intention is that children place the bandages over the scratches and wounds the animals incur as the book progresses, but thanks to their magnetic nature, the band aids can be stuck anywhere in the book. The story is very simple: an animal is playing, the animal manages to injure itself, the animal is sad and needs a bandage. Each bandage is illustrated with a different color and animal, just to help guide children on the correct one to use in each case. The illustrations are bright and cartoony, and more than a little silly. It's a fun book, and the gimmick is indeed original, and my daughters like it. When families are looking for stories that deal with injuries and help children see a potentially scary subject from a nonthreatening perspective, this book is a good option to add to the list.… (meer)