Friends don't let friends, or family, get sick, or at least they should try not to. Even younger children can learn a little about germs, how they are passed and what they can try to do to prevent getting or giving gifts, like colds or the flu, that nobody wants.
In their second book together, "A Gift You Don't Want", author, Steven Viele, M.D. and illustrator, Ashley McKeown, create a rhyming, fun and imaginatively illustrated story about a young boy who gets the flu and is told by his mom that his best friend gave it to him. He can't understand why his friend would give him something so unpleasant. When his mother tells him she thinks he has given it to his sister, someone he's not inclined to share anything with, he begins to realize that perhaps there are some things you give without knowing. You pass them along, though nothing is showing.
The book includes child friendly Flu Facts at the end to teach children about the flu & other respiratory viruses & how to avoid getting or giving them. These facts are reinforced by Discussion Questions and a Key to those questions for teachers and parents. While the book is particularly aimed at grade school age children, it can be enjoyed and educational for children as young as 3 to 5 and is perfect for ages 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
