Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
The Moose with the Pump by Yerachmiel Altman is about David Jacob, the little blue moose who has type 1 diabetes. His parents tell him that he need not be scared as they will not let him down and, with the right information, he will be safe and sound. They tell him that they will help him to learn to keep his sugar good all day using shots, blood tests, pumps, and sensors. His big sister, Adina, also knows how to take care of him. Winter is coming and David wants to play in the snow and be safe at the same time. Will David be able to play in the snow? What happens when they meet The Moose with the Pump? Read the story to find out!
The story is adorable and shows how children with type 1 diabetes can play safely in the snow. It is informative to many parents and it also guides children to take care of themselves by showing them how to use insulin pumps, glucose sensors, and other machines associated with diabetes care. The story is written in a poetic manner, making it lyrical and giving the story a good pace and movement. The illustrations are colorful and endearing and they bring the characters and scenes alive. It is a good bedtime storybook and also good for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries as it gives information about how to take care when one has type 1 diabetes.
Mike Hoskins for DiabetesMine
With the title "The Moose with the Pump," this 26-pager is also written in poetic form to tell the story of a little (blue moose) boy with T1D who's at home on a snowy day with his sister, but can't go outdoors to play with friends because there's so much snow outside.
That is, until a mysterious adult Moose With a Pump appears, sharing his story about living with T1D for many years using an insulin pump and CGM; he explains that it's OK to go outside and play as long as you're safe.
Yerachmiel describes this book as "Dr. Suess style," and through that format outlines many D-management issues from a child's POV - the cautions needed for hypoglycemia, having supplies handy in case of an emergency, making sure parents and friends are aware of what can happen, and of course the fun you can still have even with diabetes on board. Sprinkled throughout, you can find cartoon-style images of the Dexcom receiver, Tandem insulin pump and glucose meters.
Seriously, the posed-toy photos and sing-songy poem style made me smile till my cheeks hurt... especially when the little boy and his sister are talking D-management with the visiting Moose, who even took the initiative to shovel and snow-blow the "white stuff" outdoors.
In the end, thanks to the Moose's advice (Ask the Moose?), the siblings have their fears allayed and ask their mom if they can go outside to play; they even help the Moose clean up the sidewalks (Spoiler Alert: She says yes, because You CAN Do This!).
What a fun read this one was, and we definitely recommend it for the diabetes bookshelf at home, in a doctor's office or in schools -- wherever D-kids can be found.
