First Aid is something that I think should be taught in school with regular refresher courses, after all, having the potential to save a life, prevent injuries becoming much more serious, treating everyday injuries such as cuts and bruises or even just being able to offer general care to comfort someone when they don’t need medical attention should be something that everybody can do. And what better way to get primary school children interested in general first aid than through a children’s book featuring Finlay the First Aid Bear!
Finlay the First Aid Bear: The Dare to Golden Mountain, written by Luella Stanley and illustrated by Dani Mathewson is the first book in a new series of children’s books aimed at teaching easily understandable first aid to kids through engaging characters on an epic adventure of discovery. It is written by Luella Stanley who knows a thing or two about first aid – she is a registered nurse in Australia, has extensive experience in the area of Nursing, Emergency Care and First Aid and has spent many years teaching first aid. She is also the managing director of First Aid Action in Australia.
It is very important for everybody to know how to administer first aid and to be prepared for emergencies and Finlay is going to help young readers start to learn a bit more about it.
Finlay and his little sister, Evee, are bears. Finlay is a Wilderness Warrior and a very helpful bear and knows first aid. In this first book in a new series, The Dare to Golden Mountain, Finlay and Evee journey to Golden Mountain to catch the best salmon in the world. Things don’t go to plan, but luckily Finlay knows first aid so he can help others when they are hurt.
Whilst treating a nosebleed on his best friend, Finlay has been dared by Frederick to journey to Golden Mountain, where the best salmon in the world are reported to be. As he is looking after his little sister, Evee, he takes her along for the adventure (without telling their parents). On their adventure through the woods, Evee cuts her paws, grazes her knees and gets blisters from all the walking on their adventure. And Finlay is not immune to accidents either when he accidentally burns a paw in the fire. Thankfully, he has his trusty first aid kit and the knowledge on how to use what is in it, so he is able to treat all the injuries.
Overall, this is a fantastic and very educational debut children’s book. Whilst it is a book that is essentially giving young children (aged 6 upwards) an introduction into administering first aid, it is blended with a great story of an adventurous bear.
This is the first instalment of the series and takes a look at general first aid, such as:
- how to stop nosebleeds (not by putting your head back as I was taught as a child, but forwards)
- the importance of hand washing and how to do it properly
- how to treat cuts, scrapes and blisters
- how to treat small burns
- what to keep in a first aid kit and what each item is used for
This 36-page story is enjoyable and one that children will easily be immersed in. It uses a good sized easy to read font so that young readers can easily read and follow the story. Then there are the illustrations on every page to help to tell the story and help children visualise what is happening. The illustrations are excellent, bright and colourful and packed with emotion.
And if a wonderful story with excellent illustrations wasn’t enough, it also has footnotes to tell readers how to treat each injury within the story. It also tells readers how to call for help and what emergency numbers to dial in the UK, Australia, USA and Europe. It teaches first aid in a fun and informative way (and all within the context of the story).
I can’t wait for this series to continue and read more about Finlay’s adventures and first aid help. This is a very informative book for all school children to get a basic introduction into first aid and how to administer it.
A wonderful adventure story and informative book with tips on first aid for young readers.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £16.99 (Hardback) / £10.46 (Paperback) / £2.75 (Kindle)
For more information, visit www.finlayfirstaidbear.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
