Maxine's Critters Get the Vaccine Jitters by Jan Zauzmer is a particularly timely story. Maxine lines up all her stuffed animals for their vaccinations, and then heads to her doctor for hers. The rhyme scheme is simple (with a few misses for me, but mostly solid), the illustrations by Corlette Douglas are noisy, creative and fun, and the pro-vaccine message is on point, especially as under-fives can finally get in line too. Understanding that it's necessary, but also a little scary is something that kids need to see represented someplace: We're asking so much of them, the least we can do is explain that everybody gets nervous before shots, let them see how others cope with it. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, but children's books do some heavy lifting, and pandemic times call for as many careful explanations of what vaccines are and the important work they do to keep us all safe as we can get. 4 Stars.

(I received my copy from NetGalley for an honest review)

This is a sweet young kid friendly book about getting vaccines. The illustrations are colorful and the message is in an easy to understand rhyming format.

This is a cute and diverse book about the importance of vaccines and how to deal with the very normal feeling of being afraid. While it is especially useful in the current push to get kids vaccinated against Covid, it will also be helpful for the myriad of vaccines kids receive throughout their childhood. I loved the bright illustrations!

This book was very cute with couplet rhymes and stuffed animals who were nervous to go to the vet to get their vaccine. The little girl reassures her toys that they will be ok, and all get a shot without crying. Last, it is her turn to get a real vaccine, and she is very brave.

I think the idea of introducing children to the concept of getting shots is a good one, and it feels relatable to use stuffed animals or animals going to the vet. However, for me, in a pandemic where people are largely going unvaccinated due to unknowns and media hype, this book fell flat. Children can handle the truth and I think being direct and straightforward is a better strategy than telling rhymes about stuffed animals getting a shot.

If the intended purpose is just to read about playing with toys and pretending to take them to the vet, this book is fine. If looking for a book that will feel relatable when preparing children for a COVID 19 vaccine, I feel that this attempt falls short.

This was such an adorable book! First, Maxine's little critters are anxious about getting their vaccine shots so she eases their anxiety and congratulates them all for getting their shots. And then, Maxine goes to the vet to get her actual shot, and her and her critters all celebrate together.

I'm a huge fan of the artwork! I think that this is such a delightful book for children getting all of the shots they need to and can be so useful. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to help ease the anxiety of little ones needing their shots - it does so in such a fantastic, beautifully illustrated way. So make sure you get a copy either for your little ones, or anyone with young children.

Thank you to the publisher, the authors/illustrators, and to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy for an honest review.

Great book about getting a shot/vaccine. I think they did great dealing with the many emotions kids feel when at the doctor or faced with needles. Each teddy bear had different emotions but the outcomes were all the same.

An adorable story about a girl who helps her pets feel comfortable getting a vaccine. A great way to open up the conversation with children who might be scared of shots. The book validates the various feelings that come with a trip to the doctors. Well written book. Highly recommend.

Maxine’s Critters Get The Vaccine Jitters is a very cute and short story book about a little girl and her pets needs to go to the dr/vet to receive a vaccine and the feelings of dread that may accompany that. I believe this book is intended to normalize getting a vaccine and make it easier for your young children to get a vaccine as well. It was an appropriate length story and very well illustrated but does have an on and off rhyming pattern that feels a little obscure to read aloud.

Love the artwork. Education on vaccines and why they are important put into simple terms. It’s ok to be scared but it’s important and doesn’t hurt for long.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ebook.

I read it to my 6 year old and he thoroughly enjoyed trying to guess the next word in the book, since most of the book rhymed.

He enjoyed the story and I had a lot of fun reading it with him.

The illustrations were cute and colorful which is great for keeping young children engaged.

What a great way to explain about getting a shot. Sure everyone gets nervous and a bit anxious about needles. But Maxine’s pets were brave as they finally got their shots. Then Maxine got hers. Wonderful way to present an uncomfortable situation.

Cute story and good way for kids to understand vaccines, especially if they have pets. Many rhyming words! Nice twist at the end where the main character gets the vaccine too.

Cute book with a clear message! Even before COVID, kids has always struggled with worries about getting shots. This text being written from a child's perspective, without any underlying political statement or complex explanations, is an important timely add for any elementary classroom library to help ease worries and encourage vaccinations. Message aside, both students and adults will enjoy the fun rhyming scheme, diverse characters, and rich illustrations.

Oh boy, a jab is not fab, an injection can be frightening even though it is administered quickly and skillfully. Maxine knows all of that so she works with her stuffies to get them vaccinated because she is aware that it's very important to keep them all safe from that dreaded monster called COVID!

She encourages her beloved pets to take the shot and she stands by them to comfort and tell them everything will be safer and better when they are inoculated.

This relevant book arrives in time for kids to discover and understand why getting the vaccine, or any paediatric shot is so important. Kids will have many fears and questions about doing so. Sharing this book with young ones will open up meaningful dialogue to talk about the experience. These discussions together will greatly ease their apprehensions and worries.

Brave Maxine, at precisely three o'clock in the afternoon, takes her daddy's hand and off they go around the block to receive her own vaccine. She courageously faces her fears and exclaims:

" It was a cinch,
a super fast pinch!
Then without any jitters
She went home to critters..."

..." all together they celebrate their victory with snacks - a well deserved treat for getting their vax!" Hurray!!!!

The illustrations are bold, bright and detailed. This reassuring book would be a wonderful addition to a classroom as well as a school library. "Maxine's Critters Get the Vaccine Jitters" is a sweet, rhyming, heartfelt story, that is sure to ease the nervousness around getting that dreaded jab! I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this! In my day job I work as a child life specialist, we help prepare kids for all kinds of procedures in a developmentally appropriate way. For this reason, I couldn’t resist requesting this book. I think it’s adorable with the rhymes and the illustrations are great. We need more multicultural books for kids so this is perfect. I read that the illustrator, Corlette Douglas, “loves creating images of POC kids and silly animals” and she does that exquisitely for this story. It features a range of animals that Maxine needs to take to the vet for their vaccines and they are oh so nervous!

The story validates kids fears about needles along with educating them on the why and finally provides them with support and encouragement. When kids cope well through a frightening procedure, you can see the relief and sense of pride written on their faces. That’s how the story ends, pure happiness at getting through something they were afraid of. I love that because I love to see that look on kids.

I think this would also help kids who seem like they didn’t cope well during a procedure. It can be a conversation starter to process and talk about their fears.

It’s geared towards 2 to 5 age range. Younger ones may not remain focused for the whole story which is totally developmentally appropriate. The story could be read in chunks. If you start reading and they go play with a toy, leave the book out, they may go back to it. Kids also process information in different ways. They may need a break to play with that toy and that’s okay.

Last point is about how the book validates tears and nervousness. If a child cries while getting a shot, but keeps their arm still, they did their job! Crying is a great coping mechanism.

This is a fun and adorable book that I think will help many kids! Bravo to the author and illustrator.

Maxine's critters are worried about getting their shots! But Maxine assures them that it's not all that scary and getting your shots is a good way to stay healthy. So timely and relevant to current events and also SO cute.

Maxine’s Critters Get the Vaccine Jitters
A cheerful and encouraging story to soothe kids’ covid vaccine fears
by Jan Zauzmer

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book with my soon to be 5 year old and 8 year old boys who will soon be getting their covid vaccination. As a parent I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read a book to my children that can address their fears etc of a potentially scary new thing they’ll be doing.

However as someone who has read a lot of rhyming children’s books and when I say a lot I mean - seriously a lot. At one point I even had a job where about 50% of it was literally reading rhyming picture books to K-3rd graders. I do feel that the formatting of the word placement in this book to assist the reader to find the appropriate rhythm could have been improved a small amount. Additionally the syllabic distribution of the words to create a reading rhythm could have also been improved. Rhyming books when done really well are amazing for kids, they really hold their attention and stick with them and children enjoy reading them over and over.

The intention of this book is exceptional and very timely. I do feel the reasoning behind becoming vaccinated could have been further addressed. As a parent who has explained this many many many times only one reason was given in this book - so you - the kid getting the shot doesn’t get sick. While that is valid there are many reasons for vaccination. So that children who are unable to get vaccinated due to immune system complications or youth don’t get sick for example. The last thing any empathetic person would want is to take a child who is already severely ill with cancer and to give them a severe illness on top of that. I understand that the concept of kids with cancer is a whole other can of worms that not everyone would want to address at the same time but for me personally I try not to shield my children too far from the realities that other children face.

So all in all, great purpose, engaging colorful pictures, good use of introducing the topic with pretend play involving stuffed animals and then bringing home how it applies to the child with her own visit. Great to show the Dad very involved.
4/5 for us.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I got this book for my daughter because vaccine is truly a part of our everyday conversation now. I wanted her to read a book that can ease her jitters about vaccines. In this book, Maxine helped to get all of her animal friends vaccinated, as well as herself while explaining things like "I loved this line "Let's let out a cheer! The science is clear, as clear as a bell: Vaccines keep us well!"

Very cute story, bonus points because the whole book rhymes.

A brightly illustrated tale of a little girl, Maxine, who is anxious about an upcoming vaccine first takes her stuffed animals in for their shots in preparation for her own. When it came time for her shot, it was over and done with before she knew it and wasn't as hard as she thought. A sweet little story to help kids with vaccine anxiety.

A cute and catchy book with a clear message. The rhyming scheme will make this a fun read for kids. The illustrations going along with the fun names for every stuffed animal are adorable and will keep kids engaged. An important and topical book for every bookshelf. It talks about vaccines (and the importance of getting them) from a child's perspectives--no politics or complex explanations are needed, because this book is meant for kids. Definitely recommending for my library and anyone I know who has kids!