A Trip to the Hospital (Freda Chiu, A&U Children)
Freda Chiu’s first picture book, aimed at children aged three to seven, provides a friendly introduction to the idea of hospitals and what might happen in them. Largely informational rather than narrative based, the book describes, through both the text and illustrations, the kinds of things a child might encounter if they need to visit a hospital, whether for a short emergency visit or a longer stay for something chronic. Designed to be a comforting and non-threatening introduction to an environment and experience that can be overwhelming and frightening, A Trip to the Hospital introduces some of the healthcare workers children are likely to meet, giving the institution a human face. The colours, supporting this reassuring tone, are bright but with a soft texture, the shapes and faces reminiscent of naive art. There are a number of similar resource books around and this one is a helpful addition to the genre, offering a broad but uncomplicated overview of what hospital might be like for children. It is a little light on detail and the images are insistently cheerful, meaning that children might consequently find hospital more intimidating than expected, but otherwise this is a good book for parents to use as a starting point for talking to kids about hospital admissions.
Anica Boulanger-Mashberg is a freelance editor, writer and reviewer, and has worked as a bookseller at The Hobart Bookshop for over 10 years.
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