Doctor Dan: The Bandage Man

by Helen Gaspard, Corinne Malvern (Illustrator)

After watching his mother clean and bandage his scratch, Dan knows just what to do when his sister, her doll, their dog, and even his father have wounds that need tending, and earns himself a new nickname.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Kids

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

After learning from the best doctor in the world, his mom, Dan uses his new doctoring skills to ease the hurts of the injured, thus earning his new title. The darling illustrations bring back memories of the simpler times of the 1950’s and your own childhood. If you haven’t been around young children lately, you’ll be reminded of the healing powers of a bandage!

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a time capsule! Little boys dressed up as cowboys playing in the back yard...a cut on the finger...mom to the rescue...Dan helps his little sister put a bandage on her doll - a time and place long gone.

[Joel]

As if Nina wasn't already obsessed with band-aids, now I have to read this to her three times a day. THANKS GOLDEN BOOKS

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wins and extra star for the charming 1950s illustrations and the fact that I probably would have loved it as a kid. It makes Band-Aids seem cool and fun. I appreciated the mother's sensitivity to her little cowboy's feelings, and I thought the story captured so well how when one kids gets excited about something, younger siblings are bound to become enthusiastic about it, too. (Loved the part where the little sister purposely looks for a scratch so that *she* can have a Band-Aid, too.) And it was nice to see "Doctor Dan" rush to his father's rescue with a trusty Band-Aid, too. Unfortunately my used copy from the library sale did not have the promised "two free Band-Aids" inside, but I like to think of some child of long ago enjoying playtime with them :->

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic era Little Golden Books were fun, winsome stories like Doctor Dan: The Bandage Man, and many remained in print even after the illustrations were rendered old-fashioned by the passing years. Dan is a boy who likes action games, and we meet him dressed as a cowboy shooting cap guns with friends. When Dan sustains a mild cut on his finger, the cowboy bravado melts away and he runs crying to Mother, who applies an adhesive bandage to the wound. Hey…that was fun! Dan won't look at scrapes and scratches the same way again.

Dan's younger sister Carly ties their dog Spotty to her red wagon the next day. Carly's doll is thrown from the wagon and bumps her head, but Dan is ready to administer the same medical treatment his mother used for him yesterday. He puts on an adhesive bandage and echoes his mother's soothing words, then fits Carly with a bandage just for fun. Later, Daddy cuts his finger doing yard work, and Dan offers him the same level of poised medical care. It's good to have a doctor around the house.

What I love about this book is its friendly, subtle wisdom. How do boys and girls learn not to panic in crisis, and get to work healing injuries with calm optimism? By first watching Mother do the same. When your mother projects the feeling that all is under control, you believe it, and can pass that assurance on to others. The foundation an excellent mother provides cannot be overemphasized.

Doctor Dan: The Bandage Man comes through with a lesson that will serve you for a lifetime, and the two adhesive bandages included inside this edition are the cherry atop the ice cream sundae. Generations have regarded this book fondly.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads like an advertisement for Band-Aids, but I hardly care. It's too adorable.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply adorable. And so true to life.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having scratched his finger once, a boy becomes obsessed with applying adhesive bandages to everyone and everything around him. I think when my daughter was five, she liked using the adhesive bandages that came with the book more than actually reading it.

So in the end, it's an expensive way to buy two Band-Aids.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Dan, you cad.

[Jaimee]

I loved this book! It came with a free band-aid!

[Nanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy came with two vintage bandaids-nifty!

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I liked when his dad got a bandage."

[Yaritza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute book for children. Perfect book to teach kids about cuts and how to clean it and put a bandage. Images really bring you back to the 1950's how simple life was.

[Matt J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hawkeye from M.A.S.H. finally has the origin story he deserves.

[Anna Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of people gift us doctor children's books, which is fine, and this one isn't bad and even features a dog who looks very similar to our beagle, Addie (I always point this out, and George seems pleased with this similarity). The beginning, though, is quite, as progressives like to say, "problematic," and the mother tells the injured cowboy-playing protagonist that cowboys don't cry. Now, I've been one to tell George to suck it up when he whines over a small bump or scrape, but I know that reinforcing the "boys don't cry" narrative is not something I want to perpetuate in George's conception of masculinity (even though I probably perpetuate it anyway with my own callous insensitivity -- but we can't all be perfect and consistent). So, in idealism, I change the words of those first few pages of the book. The rest of the book is great, though.

[Janelle Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my childhood favorites.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story. My 5 year old likes it, too. Good story about helping out and allowing others to help.

[Rae Whitefeather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A childhood favorite, that is highly under-appreciated. The amount of people who hate this book for the sole reason that there is a gun on the first page, makes me wonder how nerf became such a popular franchise.

This a cute little book about a little boy who decides he wants to be a healer (either that or he simply has an intense fascination with band-aids, like most young children,) and it is one I will be giving to my little brother for Christmas. He is just learning to read, and I hope this becomes a favorite of his like it once was mine.

[Tiny Mendoza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how the illustrations of the book are 1950s-inspired. I'm a die-hard fan of 50s pin-up posters and I've always loved how artsy and pretty they are. And I agree that Band-Aids can lessen the pain every time we're all wounded-up because they're too cute!

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I have a guilty nostalgia for. Doctor Dan and Nurse Nancy-- how sexist they were. But who could resist Doctor Dan and the band-aids, even if this was clearly an advertising piece? *sigh*

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our golden book copy still has the two original bangages in the front of the book.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned how to treat a boo-boo with the help of this book!

[Jenn Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter absolutely loved this book. I loved the vintage illustrations.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one Little Golden Book that I definitely did not remember

[Valerie Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golden Classic-copyright 1950. How kids' literature has changed over time.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story kids will enjoy, who hasn't wanted to fix up their toys by healing them with some special doctor skills?

[Shaye Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet gift from my mother to my daughter. It was one of my Mom's favorite books when she was a child.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off this is clearly a band-aid propaganda. Second they put the bandage on the dog which is not a good idea to tach kids.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet children's book about a boy who needed a bandaid. He found he loved the process of being cared for, so he goes about caring for others when they're hurt too.

[Yolanda]

What a nostalgic look back!