Feathered Quill Book Reviews

 #Bookreview of Immune Heroes: Ready or Not

By: Namita Gandhi, PhD

Illustrated by: Tamika Bramwell

Publisher: Nimitry Books, LLC

Publication Date: August 15, 2025

ISBN: 979-8291318539

Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles

Review Date: July 30, 2025

In Immune Heroes: Ready or Not, author Namita Gandhi has taken what is often times a scary part of a child’s life and turned it into a fun and fact-filled story that will entertain and, hopefully, remove the “scary” part of getting a vaccine.

As the story begins, Mayu is supposed to go to the doctor for a vaccine. He tells his mother that he does not want to go because he does not like shots. Mayu thinks that if he can just avoid germs then he will not get sick and, therefore, he does not need to get the shot. His sister Nimi quickly starts to explain why it is so important to have the vaccines and what could happen if he does not do what is needed. This is when the story becomes simply wonderful, in my opinion, as the reader is given two different scenarios to choose from…what happens if Mayu goes and gets his shot and what happens if he chooses not to get the shot.

Immune Heroes: Ready or Not now branches off into each option and as the reader meets Captain T. and all of his helpers as they show what happens inside the body in each case (to have a shot or not) and how they all work together in an attempt to get a part of the virus and fight against it. The setting where Captain T. is resembles a school where each of the helpers has a particular job and they all learn from each other in order to understand the virus and how to fight it. Of course, in one scenario the reader sees them fail in their attempt and Mayu gets sick and in the second this tough little group of “germ fighters” learns about the virus and finds a way to create an immunity that will keep Mayu from getting sick.

Immune Heroes: Ready or Not is such a fabulous way to teach young children about how their bodies work and how important it is to get their vaccines. The writing is flawless and takes scientific concepts and words that might be very hard for a child to understand and turns them into something that anyone can grasp. The way that Namita Gandhi set up the story, allowing the child reading it to choose which situation they wanted to learn about first, made the story even more interesting and different. This way of writing the book will make children more involved in the story and it will hold their attention.

The colorful and amusing illustrations by Tamika Bramwell definitely set the book apart from others. The germs and the helpers in the illustrations are quirky and cute in their expressions and shapes while they still seem accurate in terms of what children might expect the things inside their body to look like. I loved these particular illustrations and think that they really made a great story into an exceptional one.

I would recommend Immune Heroes: Ready or Not to all parents, schools, and doctors’ offices so that children can learn about these important scientific concepts that are a part of their lives. Not only is it charming, it is an incredible tool to use to teach kids and I think that it will be enjoyable to adults and children alike.

Quill says: Immune Heroes: Ready or Not is an intriguing and educational look at a part of life for kids, taking a difficult topic and making it easy to understand.

For more information on Immune Heroes: Ready or Not, please visit the author's website at: www.immuneheroes.com