All summer, I’ll be sharing books for kids of all ages on topics that interest them or offer something new to learn about. Most of the time, these will be nonfiction books, but sometimes we can learn from fictional stories too. I believe reading over the summer is so important, and keeping kids interested in reading by finding relevant books about topics that they are interested in is very important. Kids should read at least 20 minutes every day, and I hope that these books offer you ideas to keep your kids reading and learning all summer.
I hope you will stay tuned to these posts. They will always have Summer Read-to-Learn in the title and will be tagged in the post. There will be books on all kinds of topics kids love to read and learn about. Be sure to stop by each week to see what book I’m sharing as part of my Summer Read-to-Learn series.
To see all the books in the Summer Read-to-Learn series, click HERE.
A DOCTOR AT HEART
The Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas
By: Joan Schoettler
Illustrated by: Steffi Walthall
Published: May 12, 2026
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Non-Fiction/Biography
Vivien, a boy growing up in Nashville, always liked solving problems and figuring things out. He was often teased about his name being a “girl’s name,” but he simply stated his mom was sure she was having a girl and kept the name for him. As Vivien became a teenager in the 1920s, he started working in carpentry with his father. He took great care in measuring, cutting, sanding, and finishing his projects. Soon, he was saving up his money to go to college and even graduating with honors with a dream of becoming a doctor.
Unfortunately, the stock market crash hit Vivien hard, and he lost all his college savings. Vivien thought his dream of becoming a doctor was over. But, through a friend’s recommendation, he was offered a job at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as a lab assistant to Dr. Alfred Blalock. Dr. Alfred Blalock would become a lifelong teacher, mentor, and friend to Vivien.
Vivien eventually was noticed for his skills and research and became part of the team to find a critical life-saving surgery for “blue babies”, babies born with a heart defect. Thanks to Vivien’s painstaking, deliberate, passionate skills testing on dog hearts, Vivien was able to teach surgeons how to operate on babies’ hearts.
Since Eileen Saxon, the first baby to have this surgery, thousands of babies’ lives have been saved due to Vivien Thomas and his Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt, just recently renamed to recognize Thomas in 2023. Even though Thomas never went to college, he worked for years alongside Blalock and performed numerous surgeries. Finally, in 1976, Vivien Thomas was awarded an honorary doctorate degree. Finally, being called Doctor in his 60s.
The illustrations share Thomas’ life and work in detail so that children can understand the type of surgery he performed. His likeness looks very similar to the real Vivien Thomas.
Author Joan Schoettler shares Thomas’ story, showing readers how to work hard for their dreams, to take pride in their work, to give 100%, and most importantly, to be humble. An author’s note shares more details for parents about Vivien Thomas as well as sources for more learning, including videos, books, and websites.
Joan Schoettler is a children’s author who taught children’s literature and storytelling at California State University, Fresno. Joan is an award-winning author of five picture books and one middle grade novel. A Doctor at Heart: A Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas (May 12, 2026) is her latest picture book. Joan’s storytelling is illuminated in her stories about nature, art, and artists. Her writing demonstrates a global view as her stories traverse the world. Joan lives in central California with her husband. Visit her at joanschoetler.com.
Steffi Walthall is an illustrator and character designer born and raised in Virginia. She received her BFA in Game Development from the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD). Steffi focuses on crafting a diverse range of characters and unique stories and is the illustrator of Joan Schoettler’s A Doctor at Heart, Chris Barton’s Moving Forward, and J.E. Bright’s Wonder Woman: The Way of the Amazons. For more information about Steffi, please visit SteffiWalthallArt.com.
Click HERE to purchase a copy of A DOCTOR AT HEART
