Blog Archives
Complicated and Amazing
Nurse Florence®, Tell Me About the Spleen follows three friends who, after learning about water filtration systems, want to know if the human body has a similar system. What do you find the most interesting about the spleen, making it a good topic to write about?
I love to write about human physiology. The body is very complicated and amazing. There seems to always be something to learn. Scientists are still discovering new things about how the human body functions, and it’s easy to be a lifelong learner with this topic. I thought discussing the spleen would be interesting for families since not everyone knows its purpose.
When writing the books in the Nurse Florence® series, how do you determine how in-depth to go into explaining concepts without overwhelming your younger readers but still providing enough information for a clear understanding of the topic?
You brought up one of the biggest challenges for me as the author of the series. I believe I have a gift of writing complex things into understandable units of information. My illustrators work very hard to create informative illustrations to complement the writing.
I love the Journal questions included at the story’s end. Have you considered adding other activities to future books to help further retention of the information?
We intend to create some activity books like word searches, connect the dots, and more in the future to supplement the series.
What topics are you planning next for Nurse Florence® to educate readers on, and when can your fans of the series expect a new book out?
We are planning about 500 books in the series to discuss all of the human physiology questions kids may have and diseases that may afflict families. We are publishing a new book about every 10 days. We have around 50 illustrators to support this project. Please visit www.nurseflorence.org for the latest information on the series and find a link to purchase the books directly from the printer.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
Inspiring a New Generation
Nurse Florence, What is Asthma? highlights the importance of using appropriate language when explaining medical conditions to children. Could you share your approach to finding the right balance between being informative and ensuring the language is age-appropriate?
In the Nurse Florence series, the company does not use slang terms to discuss human physiology. We want to inspire a whole new generation of kids to seek careers in the health science fields. There is a big shortage of nurses in the USA, and the need will continue to increase in the coming years.
In your story, Jean experiences symptoms of asthma during a physical education class, which is a common scenario for many children. What motivated you to choose this particular setting for the book?
Exercise-induced asthma is relatively common for people who struggle with the disease. We wanted to have a natural connection with a disease-triggering event to discuss the topic. We anticipate kids with asthma to have this book in their library or home so we wanted them to easily relate to the character.
Can you discuss the importance of using proper medical terminology in children’s literature and how you think it impacts a child’s understanding of their condition?
Masters of the arts usually start their art at a very young age. Our thinking is that if we can introduce kids to correct medical terminology at a young age, then we can help create a new generation that will understand their body better and have intelligent conversations with their medical providers.
What message do you hope children with asthma, or those who have a loved one with the condition, take away from reading Nurse Florence, What is Asthma? and what do you think makes it a “must-read” for these children?
We hope people affected by the disease will gain much insight into their condition so they can live healthier lives. We want to improve the health literacy of the world. We are translating the books into multiple languages. For more info about our project, please visit www.nurseflorence.org.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Discover Healthy Coping Skills
Nurse Florence, What are Emotions? takes a concept that is hard for children and some adults to understand and breaks it down in a way that can be understood and related to. What were your own emotions when writing this book?
Tranquility. When I write, I put on some music by Beethoven and experience a lot of peace as I write. Writing is a coping skill for me to help manage my stress. Each person is able to discover the coping skills that best suite them for the different challenges they face in life. Try doing something new to discover new healthy coping skills in our modern society.
Which of your books in the Nurse Florence series have you had the most fun writing?
The funnest book I have written was Nurse Florence, How Does the Brain Work? The conversation between the nurse and the three girls was exciting and uplifting. It makes me smile when I re-read the book.
What is your writing process like? Do you have a dedicated time or place, or are you more organic and write when the mood strikes?
I have my special area in the house where I get in the zone to write. I write usually at night after work at the hospital as an inpatient psychiatric nurse. I write each book as they are in the queue to complete. At any moment, we have over 40 books in production. I stay very busy.
Do you have any plans to turn the Nurse Florance series into a children’s TV show or YouTube channel?
We have created our first 2d animated video of Nurse Florence, How Do We Feel Hot and Cold Things? You can find it on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/UpI9K0sQ8Kc?feature=shared
For more info, please visit www.nurseflorence.org.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Try This Instead
Nurse Florence: Why Should We Avoid Illegal Drugs? addresses a topic many parents find hard to discuss with their children and teaches kids not only what to avoid but also healthy coping strategies for stress and anxiety. What inspired you to write on this topic?
At my day job at an inpatient psychiatric hospital as a floor nurse, we regularly get patients that deal with mental health issues linked to illegal drug use. We need to significantly lower the usage of these drugs to help create a healthier society. Illegal drug use not only affects a person’s personal finances, but usually also disrupts many relationships in their life. I included some healthy coping skills in the book because we didn’t want to just say “Don’t do this”, but we also wanted to say “Try this instead.”
Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
Honestly, my writing started with poetry in high school which was inspired by Jim Morrison. Writing books for kids was an evolution in my skills.
What do the words “literary success” mean to you? How do you picture it?
Literary success regarding the Nurse Florence project would be experiencing a society in the future where the mass public is well-educated on the workings of their body that most everyone can have an intelligent conversation with their medical provider about their health conditions so that it is not just a one way street of information. I would like to see the world largely free of preventable diseases so that we live longer lives with high quality. I’d like to see a world where health care dollars in every society are spent on preventing diseases instead of needing to deal with managing diseases.
What do your plans for future projects include?
Our next book series titled Nurse Dorothea will launch next year. It will be entirely focused on mental health. It is in honor of Dorothea Dix, who advocated for the mentally ill in the early 1800s. Our web address for the series will be www.nursedorothea.com, and will be active by next summer.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Nurse Florence®, Tell Me About the Spleen
There is no one better than the school nurse to answer questions about the human body and its functions. Jean, Condi, and Sonia know that very well. They enjoy their time sitting with Nurse Florence and discussing health and wellness. When Jean tells Condi and Sonia about her dad’s new water filtration system, the three girls are inspired to ask Nurse Florence about a similar system in the human body. Nurse Florence, always ready to educate her students, is more than happy to explain the role of the spleen in our immune systems.
Michael Dow has returned with another entertaining and informative addition to his series. In the newest installment, Nurse Florence®, Tell Me About the Spleen, Dow gives children an in-depth look at the spleen and its functions. The dialogue between Nurse Florence and the three girls is direct and accompanied by detailed illustrations, most of which are being shown to the girls via the Nurse’s cell phone. Dow and illustrator Jessica Foncannon have teamed up to hand readers a quick read with relatable characters and vivid drawings that will leave them well-informed about the lymphatic system.
While Jean, Condi, Sonia, and Nurse Florence lay the perfect framework for an age-appropriate explanation of complex medical concepts, I feel the dialogue was sometimes challenging to follow. A few of the exchanges between characters feature two speakers within a paragraph. As a teacher, I can see that some younger readers might find it difficult to discern who is speaking.
Nurse Florence®, Tell Me About the Spleen gives young readers and adults a medically accurate and accessible explanation of this important body part. Overall, Dow has again provided parents, teachers, and children a wealth of knowledge in a neatly wrapped package.
Pages: 65 | ISBN : 9781312226562
Nurse Florence®, What is Asthma?
It’s important for children to understand what is happening to them. There are many children with medical conditions who may not truly understand what is going on with their bodies. This may be because parents aren’t sure how to explain it to them in age-appropriate terms. What is too advanced? What is not informal enough? Using improper wording can skew a child’s understanding of their own medical condition. In Nurse Florence, What is Asthma? Written by Michael Dow and illustrated by Iris Serrano, children will be given factual information surrounding the medical condition of asthma.
Taking place in a school during a physical education class, our readers follow along with Jean as she begins to experience her symptoms of asthma while engaging in exercise with her class. She makes her way to the school nurse, Nurse Florence, who takes the time to carefully explain to Jean using age-appropriate language and other information so that Jean can understand what asthma is, how it occurs, and how it can be treated.
It should be noted that in this book, Dow does not use childish names or phrases when describing the condition of asthma. It can often be a detrimental side effect when children do not understand the proper terminology for their conditions, which can lead to misunderstandings if the child requires aid and is unable to explain in a way others outside their family can understand.
Nurse Florence, What is Asthma? By Michael Dow and illustrated by Iris Serrano is a must-read for children who also experience asthma or have a loved one who does.
Pages: 79 | ISBN : 9781458306449
Nurse Florence®, What are Emotions?
The concept of emotions can be difficult for young children to understand. Sometimes emotions can be really big for children to grapple and there are also times when they may not understand what is even happening to them. This can include positive emotions as well as negative emotions. In Nurse Florence, What Are Emotions? Written by Michael Dow and illustrated by Anastasia Bradley, we follow along with Jean, Condi, and Sonia as they discuss emotions with Nurse Florence. The children have had a positive experience with their teacher and are keen to learn more.
While it might seem as though the language is too advanced for some children, it is actually very important for them to fully understand what is happening to them on a logical level. Dow is a trained nurse and has worked in health care so the wording he uses, while it may seem advanced, is actually rooted in science and fact.
Dow begins the book with some common terms and lists out how to pronounce them. This is useful for children learning to read, especially because some of the terminology may not be familiar to them. Using the kind character of Nurse Florence, young readers will gain a better understanding of how the brain works and how we experience emotions.
Nurse Florence, What are Emotions? By Michael Dow and illustrated by Anastasia Bradley, it is a valuable book that can help young readers better understand their own emotions and why things affect them in the way they do.
Pages: 86 | ISBN : 9781312174962
Nurse Florence®, Why Should We Avoid Illegal Drugs?
Step into the classroom of Nurse Florence, where she fearlessly tackles the daunting topic of illegal drug use in Michael Dow’s riveting book, Nurse Florence: Why Should We Avoid Illegal Drugs? Addressing this weighty issue with young students can be a formidable task, but Nurse Florence is the beacon of guidance that makes it all possible. With an unwavering hand, she leads her class through an enlightening journey, explaining the dire consequences of these harmful substances.
In a world filled with vivid, informative slides and a treasure trove of knowledge, Nurse Florence transforms a potentially unsettling subject into an empowering life lesson. She encourages her students to seek out safe, healthy alternatives for dealing with anxiety and life’s challenges, rather than resorting to the dark path of illegal drugs. Lindsay Roberts’ breathtaking artwork comes to life, offering a striking visual representation of these substances to be avoided at all costs. The book’s illustrations guide students through recognizing and identifying drugs, further safeguarding them from the long-term devastation they can bring.
While approaching the topic of drugs is never a simple endeavor, the author deserves commendation for daring to educate young minds about the perils of illegal drugs. It’s essential for parents and teachers to gauge their readiness for this information, but with Nurse Florence as their compassionate guide, classrooms and families can embark on a safe journey of enlightenment. The author touches upon safe alternative coping methods like hiking and coloring to help young readers navigate life’s challenges.
Nurse Florence emerges as the hero of the day, armed with informative illustrations, an engaging narrative, and an unwavering commitment to educational storytelling excellence. Nurse Florence: Why Should We Avoid Illegal Drugs? serves as an invaluable resource, ensuring that children and their families are well-informed about the dangers lurking behind illegal substances. Dive into this educational adventure, and let Nurse Florence illuminate the path toward a safer, drug-free future!
Pages: 85 | ISBN : 9781312175068
LITERARY TITAN 