New Book Chronicles EcoTarium's Star
Attraction's Visit to UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2011
Contact: Rob
Brogna
508-793-5394
774-317-0422
Robert.brogna@umassmemorial.org
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/umassmemorial
WORCESTER- Worcester's most beloved dinosaur, Siegfried the stegosaurus, has
been off on another adventure. He is back home at the EcoTarium following a trip
to the UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center, and ready to tell his tale with
the help of author, Ann "Cookie" Nelson, whose new book, Siegfried Goes to the
Hospital, is now available at UMass Memorial Medical Center gift shops and the
EcoTarium.
Things have been quiet for Siegfried since he went AWOL from the EcoTarium in
2008. That trip throughout Worcester's landmarks was chronicled in Nelson's
children's book, Siegfried. Since that time, Siegfried has been happily keeping
watch at the EcoTarium and enjoying the company of and posing for pictures with
thousands of visitors.
Recently, however, our giant green hero was found "lying on his side with his
eyes closed" and not looking well. He was quickly transported to the UMass
Memorial Children's Medical Center where he was diagnosed and treated for a
colossal tummy ache (too much junk food)!
"People have been asking me to write a new book about Siegfried since the
first one was published," said Ms. Nelson. "I remembered back to how scary a
hospital visit can be to a child, and thought that Siegfried could help to ease
some of those fears. The absurdity of trying to fit a huge dinosaur into an
ambulance or into a scanner makes the story fun."
The book details many of the sights and sounds of a contemporary hospital
visit, presenting them to children in a fun and educational way. "It's been
delightful creating a book for children," said Marianne Felice, MD, chair of the
Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief of the UMass Memorial Children's
Medical Center. "We wanted to depict a hospital visit in 2011 as realistically
as possible, and with Cookie's incredible gift for storytelling and Allison
Bamford's beautiful illustrations, we feel that we have captured something very
special."