kailawil's review against another edition
3.0
Nice book for kids about the life of Vivien Thomas, who developed open-heart surgery methods for babies despite the challenges of being a black man in medicine in the mid 1900s.
Would have been 4 stars, but some medical information is incorrect. You would think a book about "blue babies" would know that human blood isn't actually blue. And also that tetraology of Fallot is not the only reason a baby could be cyanotic. But that's just the nerd in me being nit-picky.
Would have been 4 stars, but some medical information is incorrect. You would think a book about "blue babies" would know that human blood isn't actually blue. And also that tetraology of Fallot is not the only reason a baby could be cyanotic. But that's just the nerd in me being nit-picky.
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
A more personal book for me, since I hold doctors who push the envelope and think outside of the box in high regards. Great story of Vivien Thomas, who while not a doctor, made so much more possible.
stenaros's review against another edition
3.0
Read for Librarian Book Group
Illuminating nonfiction about the man who developed a procedure to help blue babies survive. It does not shy away from the racism Thomas faced in his quest to be a doctor.
Illuminating nonfiction about the man who developed a procedure to help blue babies survive. It does not shy away from the racism Thomas faced in his quest to be a doctor.
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
Tiny Stitches is an excellent picture book for older readers about this fascinating life-saving pioneer in heart surgery.
When Vivien Thomas was a young boy, his dream was to enter the medical field. As a teen, Vivien helped his father, a master carpenter in Nashville, Tennessee, who taught him the value of patient measuring, cutting and fitting together pieces of wood, skills that would definitely be valuable to Vivien later on.
Vivien saved his money for medical school, but by the time he was ready to go, the stock market had crashed and he lost all his savings. Luckily, he was able to get a job as a lab assistant working in Dr. Alfred Blalock's Vanderbilt University laboratory.
Thanks to Dr. Blalock, Vivien learned how to write lab reports and conduct experiments with the same kind of meticulous care he had used while working for his father, so it wasn't long before he was doing his own experiments. But when he learned that his official job title was janitor because he was African American, he was insulted. He confronted Dr. Blalock, asking for and receiving the same paid as white technicians.
When Dr. Blalock moved to Johns Hopkins in Maryland, Vivien and his wife and two daughters went with him. Maryland is a southern state, and Johns Hopkins was more segregated that Vanderbilt was, so Vivien faced a more strident racism than he was used to.
But it was there that Vivien got involved in the research Dr. Helen Taussig's research on "blue babies," patients born with a heart defect that made their skin appear bluish because they did not get enough oxygen and usually died.
Thanks to his patient and meticulous research and experiments, Vivien was able to develop a procedure for delivering blood directly to the lungs to provide oxygen to a baby's body, using the tiny needle Vivien invented to make the tiny stitches needed to suture the arteries involved.
Was Vivien's procedure a success? Yes, it was, with articles about it in Time and Life magazines, and eventually a Nobel Prize nomination. Was Vivien given credit along with Dr. Blalock and Dr. Taussig? No, not until 26 years after the first successful blue baby surgery.
It remained up to the doctors he has subsequently trained in his procedure to do that in 1971, and finally, in 1976, Johns Hopkins awarded Vivien an honorary doctorate and appointed him to the faculty as Instructor of Surgery (with the appropriate salary, hopefully).
I thought that Gwendolyn Hooks presented the obstacles Vivien Thomas faced because of his race with clarity and dignity. I have to admit I was disappointed that there was no indication (and I'm sure that is because it didn't happen) that the two doctors Vivien had worked so closely with and whose life saving surgery was successful because of his experiments never insisted that he also be given credit.
I found this to be an excellent and inspiring story. Colin Bootman's soft, realistic watercolor illustrations add depth and respect to a man who had to give up his dream of medical school and deal with the racism he faced at every turn, but who accomplished so much despite the obstacles in his way.
Hooks has included some interesting back matter, namely more about blue babies and Vivien Thomas, a useful glossary, and the source's she used to write this book.
Tiny Stitches is an excellent addition to any STEM library. It is also the kind of book I never would have read as a young reader simply because it probably wouldn't have existed. But, thankfully, that's beginning to change now so that more and more we are being introduced to heroes of color that we never would have known about otherwise.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was iBook received from Edelweiss/Above the Treeline and the publisher, Lee & Low Books
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
When Vivien Thomas was a young boy, his dream was to enter the medical field. As a teen, Vivien helped his father, a master carpenter in Nashville, Tennessee, who taught him the value of patient measuring, cutting and fitting together pieces of wood, skills that would definitely be valuable to Vivien later on.
Vivien saved his money for medical school, but by the time he was ready to go, the stock market had crashed and he lost all his savings. Luckily, he was able to get a job as a lab assistant working in Dr. Alfred Blalock's Vanderbilt University laboratory.
Thanks to Dr. Blalock, Vivien learned how to write lab reports and conduct experiments with the same kind of meticulous care he had used while working for his father, so it wasn't long before he was doing his own experiments. But when he learned that his official job title was janitor because he was African American, he was insulted. He confronted Dr. Blalock, asking for and receiving the same paid as white technicians.
When Dr. Blalock moved to Johns Hopkins in Maryland, Vivien and his wife and two daughters went with him. Maryland is a southern state, and Johns Hopkins was more segregated that Vanderbilt was, so Vivien faced a more strident racism than he was used to.
But it was there that Vivien got involved in the research Dr. Helen Taussig's research on "blue babies," patients born with a heart defect that made their skin appear bluish because they did not get enough oxygen and usually died.
Thanks to his patient and meticulous research and experiments, Vivien was able to develop a procedure for delivering blood directly to the lungs to provide oxygen to a baby's body, using the tiny needle Vivien invented to make the tiny stitches needed to suture the arteries involved.
Was Vivien's procedure a success? Yes, it was, with articles about it in Time and Life magazines, and eventually a Nobel Prize nomination. Was Vivien given credit along with Dr. Blalock and Dr. Taussig? No, not until 26 years after the first successful blue baby surgery.
It remained up to the doctors he has subsequently trained in his procedure to do that in 1971, and finally, in 1976, Johns Hopkins awarded Vivien an honorary doctorate and appointed him to the faculty as Instructor of Surgery (with the appropriate salary, hopefully).
I thought that Gwendolyn Hooks presented the obstacles Vivien Thomas faced because of his race with clarity and dignity. I have to admit I was disappointed that there was no indication (and I'm sure that is because it didn't happen) that the two doctors Vivien had worked so closely with and whose life saving surgery was successful because of his experiments never insisted that he also be given credit.
I found this to be an excellent and inspiring story. Colin Bootman's soft, realistic watercolor illustrations add depth and respect to a man who had to give up his dream of medical school and deal with the racism he faced at every turn, but who accomplished so much despite the obstacles in his way.
Hooks has included some interesting back matter, namely more about blue babies and Vivien Thomas, a useful glossary, and the source's she used to write this book.
Tiny Stitches is an excellent addition to any STEM library. It is also the kind of book I never would have read as a young reader simply because it probably wouldn't have existed. But, thankfully, that's beginning to change now so that more and more we are being introduced to heroes of color that we never would have known about otherwise.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was iBook received from Edelweiss/Above the Treeline and the publisher, Lee & Low Books
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
teganbeese's review against another edition
5.0
This is amazing. I am so happy I got to learn about Vivien. He had an amazing career and I'm sorry that he was not recognized for it sooner. I am glad he was acknowledged and he was able to impact so many great careers. We are very lucky to have had him! Read for Info Books for Youth for grad school.
achenaille's review against another edition
4.0
This beautifully illustrated non-fiction book about a medical pioneer shows a telling story of incredible brilliance alongside incredible racism. Vivien Thomas invented several tools and techniques that doctors still use today at a time when black people were disregarded. He worked hard and long to improve lives and not until recently was he honored with recognition. This book does a lot to show what he did and how he dealt with the problems he had.
elllie's review against another edition
4.0
Good narrative overview of the life and accomplishments of Vivien Thomas, who pioneered medical surgery techniques that would go on to save the lives of so many babies whose hearts do not deliver the oxygen they need. Vivien Thomas was discriminated against his whole life and was still able to accomplish so much. Appropriate for 2nd-4th grade.
valgus's review against another edition
3.0
A very important story, great illustrations, I just wish the format was a little better, as it's closer to a low level chapter book than a picture book, honestly.
kendallbridgete's review against another edition
4.0
Another picture book biography that introduced me to someone new!
cweichel's review against another edition
4.0
I've read other books about Vivien Thomas, who is responsible for developing a safe process for heart surgery on infants. Maybe it's the realistic artwork, but this reading made the unfairness of the racism he had to deal with more pronounced.
I am appalled that Dr Blalock and Dr Taussig took credit for his pioneering research and innovative medical procedure.
I am left with all kinds of questions. Did those two doctors ever say anything about what they did to Thomas? How did Thomas. finally get the recognition he deserved? Who made this happen?
I appreciated the bibliography, glossary and additional information about tetralogy of fallot at the end of the book.
I am appalled that Dr Blalock and Dr Taussig took credit for his pioneering research and innovative medical procedure.
I am left with all kinds of questions. Did those two doctors ever say anything about what they did to Thomas? How did Thomas. finally get the recognition he deserved? Who made this happen?
I appreciated the bibliography, glossary and additional information about tetralogy of fallot at the end of the book.