Charming Imogene is one of a kind, but the original is still the better work.
Imogene has many peculiarities, but she carries them with great aplomb.
She has a long history of growing, albeit temporarily, animal appendages. Her most famous animal accouterments were a huge rack of antlers and a lovely display of peacock feathers, as seen in Imogene’s Antlers (1985). She is a curious child, always eager to see what the day brings, perhaps more antlers or something new and different. When she wakes up with a giraffe’s long neck and horns, her family is “stupefied,” but she is delighted. In fact, she uses her new height to find her brother’s football and helps her neighbor’s kitten down from a tree. Another day she sports an elephant head and trunk, happily helping one of the servants water flowers. When she flies about on her butterfly wings, her mother reacts in anger and embarrassment to her daughter’s multiple transformations. Imogene relishes her uniqueness and uses it wisely and kindly. When Imogene returns to her normal self, everyone is ecstatic. But then something amazing and totally unexpected happens. Small has great fun resurrecting this iconic character. Sharp-eyed readers will notice toy animals that influence Imogene’s appearance. She and her family and neighbors present White and have a privileged status. Oddly, even though the cook and the kitchen maid have the same names as the White-appearing characters in the first book, here in at least one illustration they appear to be people of color, though the brownness of their skin varies from page to page—an unnecessary and off-putting change.
Charming Imogene is one of a kind, but the original is still the better work. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-12374-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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