Calling Dr. Zaza

“Make room, Doc McStuffins! Another young brown-skinned physician has arrived to attend to every ailment. Dr. Zaza, who wears a pink-and-white–checked dress and an apron with a red cross on it, looks out at readers from the cover as she checks the heartbeat of a brightly colored, variegated-patterned stuffed rabbit—one of the many stuffed patients she takes care of throughout the book. Dr. Zaza checks Rosie the koala bear’s earache, Bobby the rabbit’s heartbeat, George the giraffe’s sore throat, Pinkie the bunny’s temperature, and Mo the snake’s scratch. When Mo requires a bandage, so does everyone else. And Dr. Zaza delivers. The protagonist’s deep brown skin and afro-puff hairdo offer a mirror for many readers of color and a window for others while also emphasizing that imaginative play around STEM professions should be the purview of children from every background. And even though Dr. Zaza cares only for stuffed animals thus far, her competence and willingness to help both suggest that medicine will likely be a good fit for her. The deeply-saturated, single-color backgrounds establish a warm and inviting mood for Dr. Zaza’s work, who seems more than content to help. Companion title Celebrate with Zaza finds Zaza in a more traditionally feminine role, coordinating Rosie’s birthday party. A fun and visually inviting book that encourages children to consider one more “when I grow up” possibility.” – Kirkus Reviews “Today a doctor friend texted me. He needed books to read aloud to his daughter’s class, and he wanted them to be about a doctor. The sole reason I didn’t recommend Zaza here is that the class was of 2nd graders and this board book would strike them as too young. Otherwise, it would have been the first recommendation out of my mouth. Love the story. Love Zaza. Looking forward to seeing more of her in the future. Here’s a small smattering of some of the true beauties I’ve run across this year. There are two Zaza books out this year (the other is called Celebrate with Zaza), and they’re both great.” - Elizabeth Bird, Fuse Eight, SLJ.com "A perfect story to read on a sick day, or any day!” - Black Children’s Books and Authors