AVI THE AMBULANCE AND THE SNOWY DAY

Avi is the youngest ambulance in a Jerusalem garage filled with his family of emergency vehicles and human first responders of the Magen David Adom, Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross.

They have fun on this very rare snowy day, but they never forget their purpose. Humans Zach and Leah shovel the driveway, and Avi checks for ice. When they get a call about an accident on the highway, they are ready to roll. Avi, with the Star of David prominently painted on his sides, speeds up and down hills, until they can’t see through the quickly falling snow and they start to skid. They slow down and safely arrive at the scene of the accident, where they immediately take care of injuries. But they can’t transport the injured people to the hospital, because Avi’s wheels are spinning uselessly. Avi’s big-sister ambulance comes to the rescue with the snow chains that Avi forgot. Everyone gets to the hospital, and all is well. The authors accessibly spotlight the work of Magen David Adom for young readers while maintaining both accuracy and humor. Decker’s softly hued cartoons capture Avi’s earnestness and sweetness without diverting from the message of the good work of the organization. Following the story is an informative afterword and a detailed vocabulary list illustrated with photographs.

A charming introduction to a little-known organization.