A DOCTOR AT HEART: THE STORY OF GROUNDBREAKING SCIENTIST AND TEACHER VIVIEN THOMAS, by Joan Schoettler and Steffi Walthall, Beach Lane Books, May 12, 2026, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 4-8)
Discover the story of Vivien Thomas, a pioneer of children’s heart surgery and trailblazer for Black people, in A Doctor at Heart, by Joan Schoettler and Steffi Walthall.
Vivien Thomas always loved solving problems and figuring out how things worked. In high school, inspired by his family physician, he decided he would become a doctor. Despite losing his college savings during the 1930 bank panic, Vivien stayed dedicated to making his dream a reality, a trait that would serve him all his life.
Vivien secured a lab assistant position at Vanderbilt University and later moved to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he and his mentor developed a groundbreaking procedure to cure blue baby syndrome, which led to them performing the first open-heart surgery on a child.
With the power of his passion, perseverance, and dedication to learning (and without any formal college education), Vivien saved thousands of lives. —Synopsis provided by Beach Lane Books
I first learned of Vivien Thomas the same way as author Joan Schoettler — through a 2004 movie called Something the Lord Made starring Mos Def and Alan Rickman. It’s a story I never forgot, and a story that Schoettler knew young readers would want to learn about.
Enter A Doctor at Heart: The Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas.
A Doctor at Heart is an inspiring look at a man who helped change the lives of children all over the world. Schoettler tells Vivien’s story with conversational warmth. She captures Vivien’s spirit and commitment. And she distills a full life into a 48-page picture book with apparent ease.
Steffi Walthall’s accompanying illustrations not only bring Vivien to life, but depict a complex concept in an accessible way.
A Doctor at Heart is a compelling biography of a man who inspired change. It’s an excellent read.
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