Multiple scenes surface on double-page spreads, floating cheerily in a placid white ocean. Eyes move easily between these islands of image and the well-placed (and -spaced) text, making this read fast and loose—a lot like the nimble artwork...Pleasant pictures for pretend-play fanatics; a sweet story for siblings.
—Kirkus Reviews

Like all the best picture books, Simon James's Nurse Clementine packs a remarkable amount of nuance, humor and emotional truth into a relatively small number of pages—though children ages 3-7 who ask to hear it read aloud repeatedly may notice only what an endearing book it is.
—The Wall Street Journal

In the latest picture book from prolific British author-illustrator James, a family amusingly indulges a little girl who wants to be a nurse...James surrounds most of his watercolor-and-ink illustrations with plenty of white space, the better to appreciate the comic nuances. The scenes seem cleverly dashed off, but they are, like Quentin Blake’s deceptively simple figures, highly expressive, both for the emotions on the family’s faces and for the way the pictures help tell the story.
—Booklist

A girl with a nurturing nature discovers how much her family really needs her in this gently humorous story from James...James’s ink-and-watercolor vignettes capture the exuberance of children pursuing their passions as well as playful family dynamics that many readers will find familiar.
—Publishers Weekly

Children will identify with Clementine’s wholehearted commitment to her pretend occupation and her disappointment at her sibling’s initial lack of interest in playing along. Repetition of several phrases, such as Nurse Clementine’s instructions to her liberally bandaged patients to “keep this on for a week,” makes the text suitable for both one-on-one readings and preschool storytimes. James’s cartoon-style ink and watercolor illustrations, reminiscent of Quentin Blake’s drawings, add charm and humor.
—School Library Journal

[P]osture and facial expressions, especially eyes, are loosely and wonderfully drawn, allowing the young reader to catch nuances of Clementine’s mood. ... Young readers who love to play pretend with their siblings will recognize the inevitable ebb and flow and will smile at the humorous resolution.
—The Horn Book

James’ pithy storytelling is carefully crafted, and the clever placement of the descriptions of Tommy’s exploits ensures that they are, literally, page-turners... Share this as part of a doctor/nurse storytime (perhaps paired with Root’s Gumbrella), or give as a gift along with a nurse’s kit to a wannabe caretaker.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books