A Reader's Opinion: Mrs.Garcia's Class Visits the Hospital by Kristy Taylor

Kristy Taylor is currently on tour with Virtual Book Tour Cafe and it's a pleasure to be hosting her today. A little about the book...

The Book: 

Mrs. Garcia's Class Visits the Hospital is the first book written by author and former elementary teacher, Kristy Taylor. The book is an exciting career day adventure with a diverse group of characters where the students in Mrs. Garcia's class visit the local hospital for their class field trip. While touring the hospital with Mrs. Garcia and Dr. Johnson as their guides, the students learn about over twenty different healthcare careers, and they have lots of fun along the way!
 

Supplements: An additional student activity is also available for purchase. The activity guide features games, resources, quizzes, and worksheets that will challenge children to think critically about Health Science career options. This guide is a great resource for teachers and parents to teach children about careers in Health Science. The guide also includes a free PowerPoint presentation featuring glossary terms and pictures from the book.

 Excerpt: 

“Eric introduced us to Michelle, the phlebotomist.  “What is a phlebotomist?” asked Haley.  “A phlebotomist is a person who specializes in drawing a patient’s blood for testing,” said Michelle.  Suddenly, Nathaniel got an interesting look on his face and raised his hand.  “Yessss,” said Michelle.  “Is your job sort of like being a vampire?”  Nathaniel asked.  The entire class laughed and turned to look at Michelle.  “No,” she chuckled. 

“I learned about all of the different areas that doctors could specialize in, for example, Dr Herrera was a podiatrist, and he specialized in treating patients with feet problems.  Dr. Osborn was a neurologists; she specialized in helping patients with nervous system disorders.  We also met Dr. Chadwick, the hospital’s pharmacist; she helped patients get the medicine that they needed in order to help them feel better.”

A Reader's Opinion:

I decided that the best way to review a children's book would be to find out what a child thought, so this book was read to my niece and nephew (ages 4 and 6), though I believe that four is too young for this book. My six-year old nephew found the book interesting, though it must have been a bit long for him because he began to lose focus two thirds the way through. Considering that both are far younger than the author intended, my nephew still said he liked the book! 

As for my opinion, I see this book as being an excellent educational tool for grade-school students. The use of big medical terms may be distracting for children below the fifth or sixth grade, but otherwise it's written in a manner that should appeal to them. What I liked most about the book was that it teaches and it is written in a way to educate children while offering entertainment. I also felt the illustrations matched well with the text. I liked how the children in the story asked questions and showed excitement about the hospital tour. They made the field trip seem fun which in turn made education seem fun.

The author includes a glossary at the end, which helps because I'm sure there are medical terms used that not even all adults would know. If reading to a child, I would recommend the list being perused unless you're familiar with terms used to identify medical specialists. Overall, it's a excellent educational tool and I would recommend to classrooms and to parents of children who home-school. (See FTC Disclosure Page)

The Author:

Kristy K. Taylor is a fulltime Health Science Professor, author, and founder of Kid Medic, LLC.  She has over seven years of teaching experience in the field of health science education, and she spent two years as an elementary school teacher in Brackettville, Texas.  Prior to becoming an elementary school teacher and accepting her current position at Palm Beach State College in Florida, she spent six years on active duty in the United States Air Force as a Healthcare Administrator and teacher for the Community College of the Air Force.  Kristy holds an associate’s degree in Healthcare Management, a bachelor’s degree in Management and Human Resources, and a master’s degree in Health Science with a focus in Health Education.  Kristy is also currently pursuing her doctorate in Health Science with a focus in Global Health at A.T.  Still University located in Mesa, Arizona. 

In the past, Kristy has worked with students by providing them with career exploration tools and resume help.  She is also currently working on her Career Coaching Certification through the Professional Association of Career Coaches and Resume Writers.  Kristy enjoys teaching and working with students to help them achieve their goals.  She started Kid Medic because she believes that children can reach their potential only when they are properly taught, nurtured, and engaged in a manner that inspires them to expand their horizons through reading, thinking, exploring, and discovering the world around them.

Genre:  Children, YA, Career, Education, Health

Children’s Book:  Ages:  10-12, Grades: 4-7

Publisher:  Kid Medic, LLC

Email:  kristyrts@yahoo.com

Website and Purchase Link:  www.kidmedic.com

Price:  $12.oo includes S&H

Excerpt/Preview Link:  http://www.freado.com/read/9569/mrs-garcias-class-visits-the-hospital

Link to Main Site - http://www.virtualbooktourcafe.com/3/category/kristy%20taylor/1.html

 

Join the Tour!

April 29 - Introduction at VBT Cafe' Blog
April 30 - Interview & Review at MK McClintock's Blog
May 2 - Interview & Review at Book Reviews, Fiction Reflections, & More
May 4 - Guest Blogging at AZ Publishing Services
May 8 - Interviewed at BK Walker Books Etc.
May 10 - Guest Blogging & Review at Loves 2 Read
May 14 - Guest Blogging at Mass Musings
May 16 - Interviewed at Writing Innovations E-zine
May 18 - Interview & Review at Ramblings of a Bibliophiliac
May 22 - Interviewed at Reviews & Interviews
May 24 - Guest Blogging & Review at Creating Comfort
May 29 - Guest Blogging at Wise Words
May 31 - Interviewed at A Word Fitly Spoken
June 5 - Reviewed at Books, Books, and More Books
June 7 - Interviewed & Review at A Book Lover's Library

 

Giveaway: For every person that purchases the book during the tour will receive a free activity guide.

Kristy will also be giving away a Swag Pack during her tour:

Swag Pack:
A KidMedic T-Shirt
KidMedic Coffee Mug
KidMedic Pen KidMedic Stickers