R.W. Alley is the author and illustrator of many children's books. For more than 20 years, he has been the illustrator of the revived Paddington Bear series, across multiple formats. Other recent work includes There's a Princess in the Palace: Five Classic Tales Retold, and Mitchell on the Moon. He received the Rhode Island Mock Caldecott Award for There's a Wolf at the Door, and a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book for Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day. Books he has illustrated have been selected by Junior Library Guild and included in lists such as ALA Notable Books for Children, Bank Street Best Book of the Year, and Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, among others. His other books at Kane Press include the Animal Antics A to Z series, written by Barbara deRubertis and Firefighters to the Rescue!

"In painstaking detail, Alley explains virtually everything that curious kids might want to know about hospitals, relying on both text and numerous labels and arrows. Reminiscent of Richard Scarry's work, the jam-packed, busy illustrations often appear in graphic novel-like panels, with characters' dialogue conveyed in colorful speech bubbles...[T]he information, delivered in a matter-of-fact, upbeat tone, will allay reader apprehension, and the parade angle provides a cheerful backdrop. The all-animal cast exudes sunny professionalism; sound effects are liberally incorporated into the artwork. A fact-filled, candid, and reassuring introduction to the ins and outs of hospitals." --Kirkus Reviews

"Whimsical text and illustrations introduce the health care 'heroes' of Breezy Valley Hospital over the course of an eventful day and night... Gentle and reassuring, this introduction to hospital work is thorough and appropriate for young readers. Calling to mind the books of Mercer Mayer and Richard Scarry's 'Busytown' series, this book will have wide appeal." -School Library Journal

"Young readers will feel instantly at home in Breezy Valley... the precise drawings (done with pencil and digital tools) make everything in the hospital look real but friendly... this would be a great one-to-one read aloud for kids who are curious about what goes on inside a hospital. With its many (cute) details and respectful but calm openness, it would be a helpful choice for young patients or children visiting relatives receiving medical care. The book recalls Richard Scarry's classic Busy World books, so fans of that series will also enjoy this..."--Youth Services Book Review

Publisher: Bound to Stay Bound Books

Pub date: 2024-12-03

Length: 33 pages