Er Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room

This is a great book, well organized, and good for all ages. I enjoyed the stories and pictures. I love this book and I know you will too.

Finally, a non-fiction book that won't bore kids! This book beautifully captures the excitement of ER veterinary hospitals and is chock-full of valuable information for pet owners. I know the book is meant for kids, but both myself and my husband caught ourselves thumbing through it saying things like "I never knew that could be toxic for pets" and "Maybe we should put together one of these first aid kits for our dog." The book has high-quality photos and eye-grabbing graphics that keep a kid (and adult) turning the pages. But it's the writing that really puts this book above other non-fictions; it's very engaging. The words reflect the intensity of emotions surrounding some really dramatic and often heartbreaking situations. I also love the way it weaves in many different kinds of pets, from dogs and cats to horses and snakes. It's all in there! I highly recommend it for kids and young adults, and think it will appeal to an even broader range of ages than the recommended 9-12, in my opinion.

I saw this book online and just HAD to buy it. I'm soo happy I did too because now ER Vet is like my dream job. I carry this book everywhere with me, I'm not even kidding. And it's not just the job that's so appealing to me. It's the book too. I love all the colors and how some pictures take up whole pages and you really feel like you're getting a first-hand look at what it's like to work in the animal ER. Plus, the book tells you what an average day is like for ER Vets, Vet Techs, and in an animal emergency hospital in general. It gives you background information on lots of animals and teaches you tips to help you at home with your own animals. I'm not joking when I say this book is pretty much perfect.

Subbing at an elementary library earlier this month I came across this marvelous book on the shelving cart. I bet it is not on the shelf very often. Kids love books about their favorite animals. Books on dog and cat breeds fly off the shelves. Put a puppy on the cover and there is instant interest. Veterinary medicine is a career that is intriguing to many children. The photography shines in this book and invites the reader into a state of the art emergency care facility. There are photos of surgery that are detailed but not gruesome. The images of animals being cushioned with pillows and blankets are particularly comforting to young pet owners. Kind and caring professionals offer insight into their work at the ER. The book also deals with the loss of a pet. Lucy is a ball python who escaped from her bag and got behind the dash of her owner's car. Despite the vet's attempts to revive the snake Lucy dies from hypothermia. Her owner describes his feelings of sadness and loss. There are interesting insets, including abbreviations and terminology the doctors use (example HBC is hit by car) and human foods that are dangerous to animals. State reading assessments use nonfiction selections to test student reading ability. This would be an excellent choice to model nonfiction reading. Young readers will also pick this one up and pore over every word on their own.

Great information about the world of emergency vets for adults as well as kids. Well-written with excellent photos and a section on dealing with the death of a pet. Great gift for anyone considering the profession.