Review by Booklist Review
This blend of fiction and nonfiction features the concise story of Henry, a young boy who has a healthy heart and good spirits until he falls in love with a puppy. Brokenhearted when told he can't have the puppy, he becomes morose. After a checkup with the doctor, a prescription of a puppy to care for with a daily dose of walking, running, and playing provides the perfect remedy. Brightly colored cartoon illustrations show that Henry's heart is able to see, talk, and experience emotion. Information about the parts of the human heart and how it works is interspersed with the story line and illustrated in the same cartoon style. Also included is a whimsical chart showing how Henry's heart feels about a variety of healthy and unhealthy snacks as well as how it reacts to the emotion of love. It's a lot of territory for one small picture book, but it's pleasingly done and custom-made for a session on healthy practices. Pair with Paul Showers' nonfiction title Hear Your Heart (2001).--Enos, Randall Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As Harper (Cupcake) points out, if we gave the objects of our affection valentines in the shapes of actual hearts, the response would most likely be "Ewww! What is that thing?" Nonetheless, Harper offers up a heroic heart that looks a lot like the real thing "without the eyes and mouth, of course," and he's an immensely appealing figure, ideal for teaching readers about this important organ. Henry's heart is chatty, vigilant, and authoritative; when something isn't to his liking, he shoots a question up to the eyes like a commanding general to a field scout. But what starts out as a biological overview led by an engaging, unlikely character and packed with funny asides turns into a bit of a narrative mess, with Henry plunging into depression because he can't have a dog. The solution is equally, well, halfhearted: Henry and his doctor have "a nice long chat," and Henry gets the dog. Harper's acrylic illustrations never lose their pertness or energy, but a book that promises to be both whimsical and wise winds up woolly and confused. Ages 5-8. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Henry and his body are a team. His eyes and heart keep track of his activities to make sure he is getting enough exercise and eating the proper foods. When his heart feels that he is in love with a brown-haired girl, his eyes tell a different story. He has fallen for a little brown puppy. "Broken-hearted" when his father says no to adopting it, Henry slides into a slump. No exercise, no appetite, just sadness. Eyes and heart know something is wrong. So does Mom. She takes him to the doctor, who has a chat with the boy. A prescription is given, but Henry notices that Mom drives right past the pharmacy. Instead, his dad arrives with a puppy. A clever mix of fiction and nonfiction, this story weaves facts about the heart, healthy eating, and exercise into the narrative through conversations between Henry's heart and eyes. Humorous cartoon illustrations and charts about eating, feelings, and things that make a heart beat faster are also informative. This clever book is an excellent choice for storyhours and primary-grade classrooms.-Nancy Baumann, University of Missouri-Columbia, MO (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Factual information about hearts, particularly that of a boy named Henry, is presented with help from dialogue balloons: "Inside Henry's body, Henry's heart started beating at 112 beats a minute. 'Yay! I'm getting some exercise.'" The narrative arc explains why Henry's heart quickens and slows (among other reasons, he's "in love with a puppy"). Lots of jokes and visual puns populate Harper's cartoons. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
(Informational picture book. 5-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
