Doctor Ted by Andrea Beaty, Pascal Lemaitre (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

A bump on his knee,
a class full of sniffles,
a principal with foot odor
and not a doctor to be found...

Ted knows it is time to become Doctor Ted.

Well, what else is a bear to do?

Publishers Weekly

Doctor Ted is guilty of major medical malpractice. He diagnoses his mother with measles ("Those are my freckles," she insists, unamused) and recommends an operation. He detects gingivitis in his principal and prescribes a full-body cast (he later follows up with an offer to "do something about that foot odor"). It's unlikely, however, that readers will want to revoke Doctor Ted's license-he is, after all, an earnest bear cub, and his unwavering self-assurance in the face of adult certitude is too much fun. Beaty (When Giants Come to Play ) and Lemaitre (Who's Got Game: Three Fables ), working in much the same vein as Alexander Stadler (the Beverly Billingsly books), concoct a breezy story about pretend play that's laugh-out-loud funny. The prose is snappy but sympathetic to the outsize ambitions of its hero, while the pictures' chunky ink lines and almost neonlike digital colors give every page plenty of punch. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

Children's Literature

After bumping his knee one morning, Ted decides to become a doctor. He has only one problem—he has no patients! His bump on the knee, a class full of sniffles, a principal with foot odor, and not a doctor to be found—Ted knows it is time to become Doctor Ted. This is a very clever story with pictures that will appeal to the young child. Look at every character and all of the things on the page. It is a delightful and tremendously funny book. Great illustrations will make adult readers smile, too, as they are reminded of the imaginations of young children. It will be a great book for the person reading and sharing the book with a child or a group of children. Don't miss the back cover—"Wonder who Ted will need to be next?" Reviewer: Naomi Butler

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1- When Ted bumps his knee and there's no doctor around to help, the young bear takes up the medical profession himself. He prescribes crutches for mumps ("'Those are my cheeks,' said Mrs. Johnson") and a full-body cast for his grumpy principal's gingivitis. Finally, a minor playground injury allows Ted to shine, and emergency personnel (including librarians balancing books on their heads) give praise. However, the next day, the smell of burnt toast means he's ready for a new career. Beaty's simple sentences and light humor work well, but terms like "house call" and "measles" are likely to be foreign to today's youngsters. Lemaitre's bright backgrounds and varied compositions, from vignette clusters to close-ups, keep interest. The roly-poly bear and his varied animal classmates are simply drawn and outlined in black, giving solidity to the pleasingly minimalist scenes. Pair this with your favorite version of The Lady with the Alligator Purse when celebrating community helpers. Clean and sweet, it's hard to resist a book that prescribes, "Take two cookies. You'll feel better in the morning."-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

Kirkus Reviews

Ted is one prepared bear. After bumping his knee one morning he wants a doctor, but with none in sight, he becomes one himself. Though he satisfactorily treats his booboo, his Doctor Ted persona is none too popular with the people around him. His offers to cure the principal's bad breath and his teacher's mumps (actually just chubby cheeks) are met with annoyance. However, the next day his services are required, when there's a playground accident involving his teacher. Feeling quite heroic, Doctor Ted is entirely satisfied upon getting into bed that night. Ted is ready the next morning-not to become a doctor again, but rather a fireman. Lemaitre's illustrations are bright, bold and childlike. They effectively show the variety of responses Ted receives during his attempts to heal the sick (and not so sick). The colors are vivid and add to the mood of each section of text. Kids will be anxious to see what kind of fireman Ted becomes. (Picture book. 4-7)

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