Good Reads: Sick Simon by Dan Krall

Now that the school year has resumed, our precious little ones are once again ensconced in the learning system. Which means they’re also bundled up into the social environment. Which means along with learning to share their toys, their book, their friends, and their favourite play equipment, they also begin to share their germs. And we all know, sickness loves company.

With the school year finding it’s rhythm here in Australia, and with our friends in the north experiencing more snow and cold weather than they know what to do with, our guest contributor Dana (@dapoppins) has reviewed Dan Kralls’ book Sick Simon.

Sick Simon by Dan Krall is a timely read from the author-illustrator of The Great Lollipop Caper, introducing the idea of personal hygiene and invites children to learn how to be health conscious during cold and flu season.

Sick Simon is not your typical bed time story.  The gooey, pea soup, crud that poor Sick Simon deals with is the main theme of the Dan Krall’s story and his illustrations do a wonderful job of portraying what it feels like to be sick as well as what other people see when we are sick.  I’m not sure I would read it at bedtime, but this is a story book worth sharing with the four and up crowd.

Simon loves school so much that he attends classes even when he is sick.  But he doesn’t go alone.  Virus, Protozoa and bacteria go with him.  Simon unwittingly shares these germy buddies everywhere he goes until one day they talk to him!

The cartoon style of the book, the pictures of Simon when he is sick as well as the depiction of the germs will give children a reason to start washing their hands and using a tissue.  Sometimes it’s hard to explain what a germ is or how germs work, but this Dan Krall book makes it very clear and is a quick, enjoyable read.

For more about Sick Simon Dan Krall, and to assist your children understand germs and personal hygiene, visit the Sick Simon website for to win a germ prevention kit, or download a germ busting activity kit for free.