The adage “It takes a village to raise a child” is truly at work in this series, which will foster a sense of goodwill and community building among readers. Through settings familiar to the audience, kids meet various individuals who transport and keep animals and people safe, healthy, and educated. With the exception of Animals, featuring solely veterinarians, these tasks fall to many types of people, from parents, siblings, and friends to professionals, such as emergency and medical personnel, teachers, and transit workers. Simple reiterative text reinforces the message while providing the repetition needed to transition to independent reading. Pre- and post-reading activities are provided, including teachable skills like sight words, word study vocabulary, and reading levels for a variety of curricula. Vibrant photos show women and men in nontraditional roles as pilots and nurses, respectively, concluding with a group shot that sends the message that lots of individuals work together to help us. VERDICT For those community helper queries, this set fits the bill perfectly.
