If You Give A Mouse Metformin
by Nikhil Krishnan, i Cenizal (Illustrator)
DETAILS: Publisher: Out-of-Pocket Publication Date: July 14, 2020 Format: Paperback Length: 45 pg. Read Date: March 19, 2024
What’s If You Give A Mouse Metformin About?
I’m just going to quote things here.
The book’s website asks (and answers):
Have you ever wanted to know how drug development works, but too scared to ask? Now you can say you’re buying a book for a child, but it’s actually for you.
The back of the book reads:
When you give a mouse metformin, he’ll take you through the necessary steps to get a drug approved. Along the way, he’ll meet a crazy cast of characters including patients, other animals, and the FDA. He’ll also encounter lots of subtle jabs at the clinical trial complex, and have some fun along the way.
Again from the website:
This book is a great gift for anyone in the healthcare field, or any baby that wants to learn how double-blind placebo controlled trials work.
The Target of the Book
Yes, the title is a not-at-all-subtle allusion to a famous picture book, it’s super short, and fully illustrated. But it’s not for toddlers.
Well, not really.
There’s nothing in the langugae (outside of words like “metformin”) that couldn’t be understood by just about anyone who can understand the aforementioned book. Still, I think the book is really intended to work as a friendly and accessible introduction to things like double-blind placebo tests, or as an educational tool for someone who wants to help others understand (and/or to satirize the clinical trial process).
Simple enough for a kid, but made for an adult.
What Did I Think About the Art?
This book is advertised as satirical–just about all the satire is in the art. And it’s subtle. And so, so, good. Essentially, it’s there if you go looking for it. Otherwise, you’re probably going to miss it–and that’s okay, you’ll get the breezy introduction to clinical trials and some nice drawings along the way.
Oh, and the drawings are nice. It’s been too long since I’ve read the Laura Numeroff/Felicia Bond book with the similar title, but I don’t think i Cenizal really went for the same style–either as homage or parody. She did, however, provide art that would appeal to the Picture Book Set just as much as anyone else (although I’m pretty sure the Picture Book Set wouldn’t get the satire).
Basically, at least half of the success of this book should be credited to i Cenizal.
So, what did I think about If You Give A Mouse Metformin?
This is actually better than I expected–it was an impulse buy, and I got my money’s worth out of it (and a few others in my family have enjoyed it, too).
I don’t know that I learned a lot, but do see the length and remember what I said about the complexity of language. Still, it’s a good refresher–and the satire is a nice touch.
This is one example of the group Out-of-Pocket’s efforts to educate and entertain people about our healthcare system–and as such, it’s enough to make me look into other things they’re producing.
It’s worth your time to pick it up.
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