Review of "Nurse Florence, Tell Me About the Aorta" by Michael Dow

Score: 92+/100 (9.2+ out of 10)

Most of us know that the heart pumps blood, but how often do we stop to think about the enormous biological highway carrying that blood throughout the body?

Nurse Florence, Tell Me About the Aorta introduces young readers to one of the circulatory system’s most important structures. Rather than merely telling children that the aorta is a large blood vessel, author Michael Dow provides a surprisingly substantial anatomy lesson filled with accurate medical terminology, practical health advice, and opportunities for further discussion.

The narrative begins as Jean, Condi, and Sonia leave their classroom and head toward the school cafeteria. After spotting Nurse Florence, they ask to sit with her and request another lesson about blood vessels. Nurse Florence decides to explain the aorta, the major artery that carries blood away from the heart and helps distribute it throughout the body.

Before discussing the aorta itself, Nurse Florence reviews the definition of an artery. This section contains one of the book’s strongest educational moments. Many people assume that arteries are simply blood vessels containing oxygen-rich blood, but Nurse Florence explains that arteries are actually defined by the direction in which blood travels. They carry blood away from the heart. The pulmonary arteries are an important exception to the usual oxygen rule because they carry blood with relatively little oxygen from the heart to the lungs.

That distinction may sound small, but it corrects a common misconception that some adults still carry around years after leaving science class. There is something admirable about a children’s book that refuses to underestimate its readers.

The lesson then moves through the aorta’s anatomy. Young readers learn about the aortic root, aortic valve, ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending aorta, thoracic aorta, and abdominal aorta. Nurse Florence explains that the aortic valve prevents blood from flowing backward into the heart, while branches extending from the aortic arch supply blood to the arms and head. The book also gives children a sense of scale by explaining that the aorta is approximately one foot long and about one inch wide.

These are not watered-down facts disguised as science. They are legitimate anatomical concepts presented in manageable pieces. That approach reflects one of the central strengths of the Nurse Florence series: children are introduced to the same terminology they may encounter later in biology, nursing, medicine, or other STEM fields.

Skyler Sharpell’s drawings accompany the lesson with friendly characters, anatomical diagrams, and visual breakdowns of the aorta’s different regions. These are probably among the best illustrations for a Nurse Florence book. This is probably the best that Jean, Condi, and Sonia have ever been illustrated in the series.

The illustrations help readers follow the vessel’s path through the body and distinguish one section from another. The cafeteria setting also keeps the lesson relaxed and approachable rather than making it feel like a medical lecture delivered inside a laboratory.

The book’s second half expands beyond anatomy and discusses ways readers can protect their arteries. Nurse Florence recommends eating a balanced diet, participating in aerobic exercise and strength training, getting sufficient sleep, managing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, following treatment recommendations for chronic conditions, avoiding cigarettes, and limiting alcohol when old enough to drink.

We appreciated that the book does not simply identify a body part and send readers on their way. It connects knowledge to action. Children learn that their daily habits can influence the health of their hearts and blood vessels. The discussion of sleep routines, mindfulness, music, exercise, and stress management also gives families several practical subjects to explore together.

Because this is primarily an educational book, the story sometimes functions more as a framework for Nurse Florence’s extended explanation than as a fully developed narrative. Jean, Condi, and Sonia introduce the topic, but they could have participated more actively by making guesses, asking follow-up questions, or relating the lesson to their own experiences. Additional back-and-forth dialogue might have given the information more rhythm and allowed readers to pause between the denser concepts.

The later health recommendations are worthwhile, although they broaden the book considerably beyond its central subject. By the conclusion, the lesson has evolved from an explanation of the aorta into a more general guide to cardiovascular wellness. That is not necessarily a weakness, but readers specifically seeking a narrowly focused anatomy book should expect a substantial preventive-health component as well.

This book does have a lot of the same weaknesses of other books in the series. Almost every book in the series is overwhelmingly dense and feels like an expositional information dump more than a story. This book is no different. And it can be too much for many children.

One other thing we noticed is that the author did at least try to give the three regulars (Jean, Condi, and Sonia) something more to say than just a morbid fixation on one medical topic or another (which happened in other books). The girls do notice and compliment things about each other. However, this amounts to a somewhat awkward, cringy, and unnatural "I like your red bow!" and Your skirt is cute!" It's not exactly the most compelling dialogue or character development ever. It's sound more like a conversation at a checkout line than friends with actual rapport.

The one really positive aspect of this book is how it doesn't just teach kids about health, it actually teaches them practical, applicable things they can do to improve their own health. It might sound crazy, but kids are often not taught the importance of physical activity/exercise and eating healthy. At least this book teaches kids that.

In the end, Nurse Florence, Tell Me About the Aorta is an informative and responsible introduction to cardiovascular anatomy. Michael Dow trusts children with real scientific vocabulary while explaining the material in a calm and understandable manner. The result is a meaningful educational resource that encourages health literacy, curiosity, and a lasting interest in the human body.

Check it out on Amazon!