Dr. Anthony Fauci: A Children’s Biography

Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America's Doctor
Written by Kate Messner & Illustrated by Alexandra Bye
Age Level: 5-8 Years
Published June 29, 2021

Vaxxed to the max.

I’ll never forget when CNN and Sesame Street partnered for a town hall in December 2020 and Dr. Fauci, already a hero in every grownup’s eyes, assured children everywhere that “I took a trip up there to the North Pole, I went there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself.” After that, my children wanted to know more about this authoritative yet extremely affable doctor.

"Soon Dr. Fauci had a whole country of people to care for, a new team to lead, and a lot of problems to solve. It was good that he'd learned how to get along with all different kinds of people back in Brooklyn. His job required that."

This book does an excellent job of describing the hard work, series of events, and character traits that amounted to Anthony Fauci becoming the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It is perfectly age-appropriate, using relatable anecdotes to show how Fauci learned skills like teamwork, leadership, and problem solving while demonstrating focus, determination, and an endless curiosity about science. It’s worth noting that the expressive and richly colored illustrations are just as impressive as the text.

Don’t miss the bonus material at the end which includes “Dr. Fauci’s Five Tips for Future Scientists,” answers to the questions “How Do Vaccines Work?” and “Are Vaccines Safe?”, and photos of Dr. Fauci as a child.