A young girl chases her dreams and becomes a veterinarian in this imaginative and playfully illustrated picture book with an empowering message.
AMHERST, Mass. /PRNewswire/ — Young Rosie loves watching her mom, a veterinarian, take care of all kinds of animals. She especially enjoys learning about the animals and helping them get better. When Rosie takes a rest from asking lots of questions, she finds herself in a dream where she meets an octopus, a crocodile, a giraffe, and more. One by one, Rosie uses her knowledge to help each animal, often using natural remedies she learned from her mother. Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals, published by Waterbear Publishing, is a clever and spirited debut picture book from author Jennifer Welborn and illustrator Rozillia MH.
The story of Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals is fictitious, but is based on the experiences of real-world veterinarians, who also provided information about the animal symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Artist Rozillia MH was inspired to illustrate the story’s main character through her own vision of what the young child would look like: a smart, curious, caring, and empowered girl.
Jennifer, a veteran teacher with a degree in wildlife management, and Rozillia, an educator with a degree in linguistics, both feel strongly about the lack of female representation in STEM professions, which is particularly true of BIPOC women. For their picture book, it was important to create relatable, accessible, diverse characters as role models for children. They hope readers see themselves in the characters and are inspired to chase after their dreams.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, approximately 2% of veterinarians in the U.S. are African American. To help redress this underrepresentation, some of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Dr. Jodie G. Blackwell Scholarship Fund, which has been set up to support African American veterinarian students [https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/535153068/why-are-veterinarians-always-white].
Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals‘ launch date is April 30, 2022 (World Veterinary Day).
For more information about the author Jennifer Welborn, illustrator Rozillia MH, and Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals, please contact us via email: [email protected] or visit the website: https://www.jenniferwelbornauthor.com/.
SOURCE Waterbear Publishing
