Member Reviews

When I think of Health Care Heroes, I don't normally think of custodians, but I liked that this book includes them. All kids won't want to be a doctor, nurse, paramedic etc. but they still want to help others. In "I'm a Custodian" we meet Gabe Tan, a hospital custodian. This series has stressed cleanliness and PPE in all their books, so it makes sense that the person who keeps the hospital clean is an important part of the team. At the very beginning of the book when we meet Gabe, he also says that his goal is to make 3 people smile each day, which I loved. Once again the reader learns what they like about their job, equipment or tools they use, people they work with and the various other places a custodian might work. He describes one day including the various responsibilities such as: checking with outgoing staff about problem areas, cleaning the public areas including the bathrooms, responding to calls about spills etc. that need to be cleaned right away, cleaning rooms of discharged patients as well as patients staying over. I was surprised that in this book, he changed beds, they don't do that in our hospitals, the nurses do. When he gets to know patients that are there for long periods of time, he has the opportunity to talk about things of interest as well. The interview with the "real life custodian" is one that works at the Mayo Clinic, a very large hospital. There is always a glossary at the end as well as resources for further exploration. The illustrations are wonderfully done and add much to the book. I like how diverse and multi-cultural the characters are, giving young people of any nationality a chance to see themselves in these pages. The superpower of the Custodian is Compassion. empathy, and my grandkids did not know what that meant. It is explained in the book, as well as sharing how he demonstrates it with his patients. It then asks the reader how they could show empathy. A wonderful book for classrooms talking about community helpers, or discussing jobs for their futures etc. I recommend it for schools, classrooms and public libraries.

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This book is about a day in the life of a custodian at a hospital. There are pictures along with illustrations of individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The custodian in this book cleans various areas of the hospital, including patient rooms. It helps children understand the importance of keeping a hospital clean to protect people from germs and keep them healthy. This book is written in a way that shows a lot of respect for the profession which is such an important one that tends to be overlooked. This would make a great addition to elementary classrooms.

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This is an especially good book for the primary social studies standard about all people playing a role in the community. I like the diversity in the book. It is a must have series for career studies in younger classrooms.

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This book is so informative! It is broken into chapters that describe the overall job of a custodian, follow a custodian doing different tasks at different times throughout the day, accompanied by a watch illustration on each page, and a section featuring personal qualities that a custodian might need to be successful. I love this book and will be checking out the rest of the series for my children as well.

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Now at least six books strong, this series continues to do what it did the first time I saw it – detail the career of a medical hero in ways that appeal and can be related to by the very young. Here it is a hospital cleaner, of all things, so again we see the gear they tote on their rounds, who they work with, and then get shown a 'typical' shift, from caring for the general entrance areas to specific rooms once people have been discharged. This isn't designed to make you want to be a cleaner as such, but will certainly instil a respect in the staff who have as much to say as anyone how healthy your stay in hospital can be. We also have to factor in the fine illustrations, a nice way of presenting the first person voice of a fictional medical worker, and an interview with a living and breathing one – this is worth considering. A strong four stars.

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My young son and I enjoyed reading this book. I work in a hospital, so my son enjoys learning more about the different people that I work with. EVS, as they are called at my hospital are so important. I am glad that there is a book to cover what they contribute to the running of the hospital. They are a valuable part of the team. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the text engaging.

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Environmental services technicians also known as custodians work in many buildings, but this book focuses on the ones who work in hospitals and clinics. Members of the team everywhere in the building make sure that this vital member knows where cleanup/disinfecting is needed in addition to routine care that kills germs and provides basic safety. These employees are vital in making a difference.
There is a glossary, a few URLs, and an index.
The illustrations by Nadia Gunawan are clear, imaginative, colorful, and informative.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Mayo Clinic Press Kids via NetGalley. Thank you!
Available 26 Mar 2024 #HealthHeroes #Compassion

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