Is Mommy...?

August 31, 2015
Poet Chang (The Boss) makes her children’s debut with a dialogue between children and an unseen narrator, which Frazee (The Farmer and the Clown) draws with raucous exuberance. The cast is a crayon box of round-headed elfin preschoolers—a red one in polka dots, a green one with many pigtails, and so on. “Is Mommy tall or short?” the narrator asks the polka-dot girl. A spread shows the alternatives, comically exaggerated: does her mommy tower over her, or is she a tiny doll? A page turn reveals her shouted reply: “Short!” A child in orange pajamas joins her. “Is Mommy pretty... or ugly?” (the child’s groggy mother awakens with a wild, spiky bedhead and puffy slits for eyes). “Ugly!” yells orange pajamas. The children always choose the rudest option, but the group answers the final question (“Do you love your short, ugly, mean, boring, old, messy mommy?”) with a resounding “Yes!” There are many mothers who feel beleaguered enough without signing up for a readaloud like this, but the children’s anarchic glee rings very true. Up to age 5. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

September 15, 2015
A passel of tots discuss their moms' positive and negative aspects with uncontained glee. "Is mommy tall... / or short?" an unseen narrator asks a crimson-haired tyke wearing a matching crimson dress with white polka dots. The child imagines "tall" (mommy leans down lovingly, about to pick up her dubious-looking daughter) and "short" (now the child looms over a suddenly shrunken, dismayed-looking mommy). With a turn of the page, a definitive, spread-dominating speech bubble declares, "Short!" Other child-and-mommy pairings demonstrate pretty or ugly, nice or mean, fun or boring, young or old, neat or messy; each mommy is loudly adjudged the negative alternative, the growing crowd of children reveling in the mischief. Frazee uses tempera in a limited palette of candy colors, black, and white on soft tan Manila paper, brush strokes giving each area of color (plus the white speech bubbles) luscious texture. The moms look like tall, elongated versions of their children, down to identically colored clothing and hair and distinctive hairstyles. In fluidity of line, simplicity and boldness of palette, and often peculiarity of hairstyle, the figures evoke Seuss' Whos; in sheer impishness, these children are 100-percent Frazee. When asked, "Do you love your short, ugly, mean, boring, old, messy mommy?" however, there is no question in these children's minds: "Yes!" A funny and deceptively simple meditation on unconditional filial love. (Picture book. 3-5)

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Starred review from December 1, 2015

Toddler-PreS-A troupe of toddlers cheekily field questions about their mothers. An unseen narrator asks, "Is mommy tall.../or short?" A red-headed imp ponders the query and imagines a tall mommy reaching down for a loving embrace, and then fantasizes about towering over a suddenly diminutive, doll-like mommy. A huge speech bubble, spread across the next two pages, shouts the child's answer: "Short!" More options are posed to a growing crowd of mischievous tots, such as whether Mommy is boring or fun, young or old, neat or messy. The contrary answers are bellowed out with unabashed glee. The final question, "Do you love your short, ugly, mean, boring, old, messy mommy?" is answered with an unequivocal "YES!" Frazee's tempera paint illustrations take center stage and star a colorful cast of children who are outfitted in primary color wardrobes and have uniquely fashioned hairdos. VERDICT Toddlers will relish the simple, headstrong text in this quirky book.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2015
Preschool-K An unseen narrator poses questions about Mommy to six toddlers: Is she tall or short; pretty or ugly; nice or mean; fun or boring; young or old; neat or messy? In each case, the shouted reply is the latter, more negative alternative. Yet when asked, Do you love your short, ugly, mean, boring, old, messy mommy? the rejoinder is a resounding YES! What might have been a slightly irreverent but ultimately reaffirming question-and-response tale here becomes a hilarious narrative, thanks to Frazee's artistic talent. Using tempera paint on Manila paper, she creates matching toddler-mommy pairs, each decked out in a distinctive candy color, with matching clothing and hairstyle. Her uncluttered spreads feature only the characters and oversize speech balloons, which will help toddlers to focus on the story essentials. And, although messy Mommy's cupcakes may have something to do with the final positive comeback, it's clear that everyone here is having a wonderful time. Kids will appreciate the story's visual absurdities, making it perfect for story time or one-on-one sharing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)