When Tom the cat wakes up not quite himself, his family knows something's wrong, and a caring vet team helps them find out what.
Come cuddle up for a calm, gently animated read-aloud of "What's Wrong With Tom?" Tom is a playful cat who suddenly isn't acting like his usual self. With a loving family, a kind vet team, and a good dose of his own courage, Tom goes on a brave trip to the vet to discover what's wrong and start feeling better. It's a warm, hopeful story told in bouncy rhyme, with a lovely surprise woven through: every so often we hear Tom's own thoughts, so little ones feel like they're right there beside him.
As always, the pace is slow and soothing, the narration is warm, and there are no loud sounds or flashy cuts, just a cozy story to share together.
After the story, Tom hops right out of the book to say hello, and borrows a pet translator so he can chat with us properly. We talk about how scary it can be when a pet gets sick, how grateful he is for his family and his brave vet team, and how important it is to look after the animals around us. Then Tom sends over a few treasures: Dr. Gal Chivvis's kid-friendly glossary of the big words in the story, her gentle exercises for when you're feeling stressed, and my own reading comprehension worksheet made to pair with this video. You'll find them all, free, at changetheworldwithkaryn.com
Perfect for ages 4 to 8, at home or in the classroom. This one pairs beautifully with a community helpers unit, and supports social-emotional learning around empathy and teamwork (CASEL social awareness and relationship skills) as well as comprehension work on how characters respond to challenges (Common Core RL.K.3, RL.1.3, RL.2.3).
This is the first story in The Critter Care Crew series.
About the author, Dr. Gal Chivvis
Dr. Gal Chivvis is an internship-trained emergency veterinarian, author, homeschool mom, and indie publisher who bridges veterinary medicine, education, and storytelling. With nearly 15 years of emergency clinical experience, she blends real-world veterinary insight with narrative to make complex pet health topics more understandable outside the exam room.
She is the author of The Dog Owner’s Guide to Health Emergencies, recipient of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award and the 2025 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal, as well as The Cat Owner’s Guide to Health Emergencies. Her practical guides provide clear, veterinarian-vetted information designed to help pet owners recognize urgent concerns, respond appropriately, and work effectively with their veterinary team.
Dr. Chivvis is also the creator of the Critter Care Crew children’s series. Her debut picture book, What’s Wrong with Tom?, launched in August 2025, with What Did Libby Do? projected for August 2026. Her stories weave together education, empathy, and social-emotional learning to help young readers understand health, compassion, and the veterinary experience in an age-appropriate way. She has also developed educational coloring books and activity books that make learning about pets engaging and accessible.
She is the founder of CritterCareCollective, an educational platform dedicated to making accurate pet care information clear, practical, and approachable for families.
Dr. Chivvis believes in transparency, growth through trial and error, and the power of making veterinary knowledge accessible to everyone.
#ReadAloud #VetForKids #KindnessToAnimals #CalmKidsContent #StoryTimeWithKaryn
