Children's Hospital

The Wild Child
$14.98
The Wild Child is a film that resurfaces the true story of a young boy who is found living wild along the French countryside. The boy is like an animal in the sense he is untamed, self reliant, has a fear of humans, bares no clothing, and is accustomed to the elements of nature. The film begins with the capturing the eleven year old boy and his subsequent introduction to the civilized world. The child's fascinating story makes newspaper headlines in 1798 and among the many Parisians whose interest is sparked is that of a doctor played by Truffaut himself. Interested in studying the boy and discovering his potential, the doctor takes the young ruffian into his own home and begins a methodical series of learning experiments.

Truffaut uses this remarkable story and creates a wonderful film set in the late eighteenth century. He also avoids the all too common trap of over dramatizing a film set in this era and simply concentrates on the subject matter at hand - the discovery of a wild youth and his introduction into civilized world. The film is beautifully shot and Truffaut's simplistic narrative keeps the viewer's attention at all times. Although one of Truffaut's most unique films, The Wild Child is not quite a masterpiece, but has much merit and is definitely worth viewing.

The Children's Hospital
$14.95
Chris Adrian's "The Children's Hospital" is many things, but a waste of time it is not. This novel is richly written with quirky, imperfect characters and plenty of improbable circumstances - chief among them a flood of biblical proportions that wipes out most of life on Earth as we know it. Each character (and there is quite a cast) approaches The Thing in their own idiosyncratic way, making them both frustrating and endearing, sometimes on the very same page. Add to that a group of four apocalyptic angels with mixed motivations and you've got yourself a deep and rewarding read.

As some of the reviews point out, the novel is hefty at 615 pages. I never once felt bored or distracted from my reading. There are a few unfortunate typos that disrupt the flow, they are easily forgiven in favor of the dynamic narrative. There is also a lot of sophisticated and specialized medical terminology peppered throughout the book, but it lends the story a lot of authenticity. Understanding that terminology is no more critical to the book than it is to the latest medical drama shows on television.

The author's understanding of theology and medicine benefit the storyline tremendously. But, despite his education and intelligence, his writing style is simple, direct and often darkly comical. There are many times I could imagine myself behaving in the manner many of his characters do given the circumstances. His sense of pacing is pitch perfect. Just as the characters start comfortably settling into new routines, he upsets the balance in chilling and profound ways.

I am so grateful to have stumbled across this novel. If you enjoy fiction with a theological bent and a flare for the fantastic, I think you're expectations will be utterly exceeded by this exciting book.

The Swan and the Mermaid (AGES 3 to 6): relaxation mind-body CD developed with pediatricians to help children relax, sleep, and heal at home and in hospitals. Recommended for insomnia, stress, anxiety, injuries, phobias, ADD/ ADHD, surgery, cancer...
$16.95
I ordered this along with "Rainbows and Sunshine" for my five year old granddaughter. She loves both of them but this is her favorite. It has really helped in getting her settled in for her bedtime.

The Children's Hospital Guide to Your Child's Health and Development
$22.95
It doesn't go into great detail but provides a good overview. I was given some used baby bottles/nipples that looked in great condition but I wanted to boil them. The book briefly described that boiling them was not necessary in most cercumstances but didn't go the extra mile to say how long to boil them if I chose to do so. It seems to be a good reference guide but is a bit outdated in some controversal topics at this point.