Dr. White
"It was a cold, wet morning. Dr. White dashed to the hospital. He was late," begins this affectionate tale starring a true hero to many children in critical condition. Litty (Lumina) carefully disguises the doctor's identity in her illustrations while casting out a few subtle clues. After showing a glimpse of a white tail and a canine-shaped shadow, she reveals the "doctor" as a small, white, shaggy dog who makes his rounds in the children's ward. Dr. White dispenses his time-proven medicineAcuddling, licking hands and thumping his tail on his patients' bedsAand is credited for the recovery of many children. Basing her story on a valiant dog with a high success rate at a London hospital, Goodall (With Love) creates tension in the tale with the introduction of an ornery health inspector who evicts Dr. White from the hospitalAuntil his own daughter's illness calls for drastic measures, and the staff secretly reinstates the pooch. Goodall's matter-of-fact text serves as the perfect foil for the dog's seemingly magical ability to heal, and her subject is timely. Against a predominance of hospital white, Litty's watercolor close-up portraits offer a warm contrast with a full range of human (as well as canine) expressions. If there are any skeptics out there who question the benefits of pet-assisted therapy, this book may well make believers of them. Ages 5-8.Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.