Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals

A young girl chases her dreams and becomes a veterinarian in this imaginative and playfully illustrated picture book with an empowering message.

Young Rosie loves watching her mom, a veterinarian, take care of all kinds of animals.  She especially enjoys learning about the animals and helping them get better.  When Rosie takes a rest from asking lots of questions, she finds herself in a dream where she meets an octopus, a crocodile, a giraffe, and more.  One by one, Rosie uses her knowledge to help each animal.  While the story of Dr. Rosie is fictitious, it is based on and informed by real-world veterinarians.

This book is perfect for children who love animals or who are interested in veterinary medicine. It is also well-suited for parents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians looking for books on representation, diversity, empathy, adventure, and STEM careers.

Praise

“Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals is an enjoyable picture book that promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in a fun way and emphasizes the intelligence and abilities that girls/women can achieve and be leaders in whichever field of study they pursue…” —Dr. Ruby Perry, Dean, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine

“It is so special to see the “Zoobiquity” concept being shared in such a thoughtful and approachable way for children—and with such wonderful illustrations!”  
– Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, New York Times bestselling co-author of Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health 

“As a holistic veterinarian, I am thrilled with this book. Rosie’s Mom does a great job representing the profession, and Rosie herself is curious and has no limits to her imagination. When my own son was little I loved bringing him to work with me and sharing the joys of my profession, and this book reminds me of those times. It’s wonderful to see representation of people of color, as the veterinary profession has struggled with diversity…”–Karen R. Fine, DVM, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Family Doctor

“Based on real-world veterinarian approaches, but far more diverse in its embrace of powerful solutions and approaches to life, parents of children who want to impart the basics of appreciation for animals and self-empowerment alike will find Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals an inviting story.” —D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“The engaging story and beautiful illustrations of Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals showcase to young people the diversity among animals and their appreciation when we help them…” —Dr. Michael Blackwell, Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee

“Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals is so original and imaginative, and the illustrations are welcoming to all people and just wonderful!…”–Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus

“The learners enjoyed the story so much, other teachers wanted to be involved too. I am sure we will read the story again and again!” —Millicent Cassianes, principal, B.L. Tezza School for the Deaf in Kenya

Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals successfully relays several messages to its young audience – including empowering girls, building self-esteem and confidence, problem-solving, treating animals with empathy and respect, embracing curiosity, and using your imagination… an entertaining, educational book with simple, colorful illustrations… a worthy addition to a STEM collection.” —Eve Panzer, The Barefoot Librarian for Reader Views Kids

“We’ve had nothing but positive feedback…Thanks to you and Rozillia for inspiring the next generation of authors, illustrators, veterinarians, and wildlife experts!” —Bergen Daly, Children’s Librarian, Langley-Adams Library, Groveland, MA

“This is a great representation of the variety of animals, environments, and treatments used by vets. As a vet myself, I found the medicine in this book realistic while also being accessible to children. Added bonus is that the main characters are females of colour, a group of people that have been historically marginalized in the veterinary community. Great read for the whole family!” —Dr. Kayla Gradil, DVM 

Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals is the perfect picture book for young readers who love animals.… With simple text and colorful, expressive illustrations, the story is accessible even to beginner readers, who are sure to love trying to guess each animal’s problem alongside Rosie. Rosie and her mom model empathy for the readers, who will see that diagnosis is about more than just expert knowledge – it’s also about care. Because the story draws on real-life veterinary practices, readers will also learn about natural remedies almost without realizing they are doing so…” —Dr. Jen Harrison, The Children’s Book Review

“[Welborn] …puts an imaginative and novel spin on the expression, ‘taking care,’ and gives new meaning to the term ‘diversity’… shows us that empowerment is inseparable from empathy, science from imagination, and medicine from magic…” —Deborah F. Gorlin  

“…It is by now a truism that too few books focus on girls interested in the fields commonly known as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics); even fewer celebrate African American and other girls of color and, when they do, such books tend to be devoid of a sense of humor and whimsy. Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals fills all these gaps…  sure to become a staple for young children of all backgrounds.” —Dr. Sonia Nieto, Professor Emerita, University of Massachusetts

“We hope to see more narratives that normalize African Americans as Veterinarians, as this book does.” —CARE (Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity)

“This text has the potential to encourage children to become loving and inquiring veterinary practitioners.” —Dr. Maria José Botelho, Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst

“The book celebrates deeds as well as words as a way to make a difference and shows kids that they can do that too. It’s a great story with the bonus of an important and subtly presented lesson for both kids and caregivers.” —Dr. Peter Blier, Pediatrician

“The book has a very important message; that kids – particularly girls – can be inspired by their powerful moms to become whomever they want to be no matter how difficult the dream is rumored to be…” —Fatima Aladdin, Reedsy Discovery 

“As a long-time STEM teacher, I love the effortless way this book features both a Black professional woman and a young Black girl as role models in a non-traditional field for girls of color…” Catherine Keppler, B.S., M.Ed

“This wonderful story is about lessons on empathy and compassion to name two… A picture book is always full of multiple messages and I do hope you find one for you here. A great book full of joy!” Judi Newcomb, kindergarten teacher

“This book is a sweet and gentle reminder about how the very act of including a child and taking the time to explain the “why” and “how” in our world can inspire and encourage a child.”  Leigh Pratt, Kindergarten and 1st grade teacher

“Students had so much fun thinking about the ways they want to help animals and learning how to draw the different animals they chose.” —Cindy Ferrer, Art Teacher

“My 1st graders thoroughly enjoyed the book, discussion, and the lessons that followed.  They were fully engaged!  The book and lessons are directly connected to our ongoing learning about EMPATHY!…” —Mary Donoghue, 1st Grade Teacher

I read this book to my 1st-grade students and they LOVED it. They were engaged from the very beginning of the book and continued to stay engaged during the discussion and activities that followed. They loved seeing the different ways that Rosie was able to help the animals and coming up with their own ways they could help from afar. Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals is a good way to help students learn about empathy and connects directly with our learning goals and targets!” Emily Slayton, 1st Grade Teacher

“This truly inspirational, engaging, fun, and well-illustrated book with solid veterinary science knowledge is a delight to read in English as well as the English/Spanish version. The children I have read the book to have loved it! As an educator, I highly recommend it for any classroom, but is definitely a must for STEM, bilingual, and ESL programs!” –Eliel Gonzalez, veteran teacher

“This is a fantastic children’s picture book with a truly empowering message. I’m an elementary school teacher and a mom, and I loved it for its inspiring story and adorable illustrations. This bilingual edition is a great idea and will be equally enriching for my Spanish and English language learners.” –Jamie Gonzalez, Spanish, and MLL teacher

“Siempre buscaba libros en español para leer a mis hijos cuando eran pequeños, y ahora tengo muchísimas ganas de leer este libro a los nuevos miembros de mi familia y amigos. Me encanta la manera de enseñar los métodos naturales de cura a los animales en sus hábitats distintos. El cuento está lleno de ilustraciones excelentes y además apoya los estudios de ciencias para niñas.” —Laurie Garcia, veteran Spanish teacher

“I took my 4-year-old nephew to the Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals program at the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library. He loved hearing about the animals from the story. His favorite part was the Stuffie Vet Clinic, where he received a mini-vet-kit and was able to help diagnose his own stuffed animal friend – just as Dr. Rosie did in the story. It was a fun and interactive program for young children.”  —Julie 

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