Checkups, Shots, and ­Robots: True Stories Behind How Doctors Treat Us

Gr 3-7–A group of students discussing various reasons they have to visit a doctor serves as the framing for this look at medical practices. Complaints about flu shots introduce the section on vaccines, breaking a leg while skateboarding begins the section on surgery, and so on. The history of germ theory, pain relief, and medical breakthroughs, such as the discovery of penicillin are described, and famous medical figures, from Hippocrates to Rebecca Lee Crumpler, are introduced to readers. Current medical practices, like sterilizing operating rooms, are compared with the past when sheets on hospital beds were not even changed. Full-page illustrations highlight the various instruments used during a checkup or show the process of a painkiller at work. Nanotech that can destroy bacteria within the body, implantable chips that can monitor and report problems, and remote-control robotic surgery are a few of the current research topics and developments in the field that are covered. The humor woven throughout, such as illustrations of Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur arguing over who created the best vaccine, lighten the overall tone. Back matter includes an index, ideas for related activities such as creating a first aid kit, and suggestions for further reading (even some for adults).