OH MY, OH NO!

A little girl’s attempts to emulate Mommy are mostly messy.

She helps Mommy clean the floor and creates a flood. There is a whirlwind of flour all over the kitchen when she tries to make a cake. Thinking it will make Mommy happy, she paints all over the wall and neatly spreads toilet paper all over the bathroom. Mommy wears makeup and jewelry, so our little lady tries it also. But every escapade ends with Mommy’s “Oh my, oh no!” when faced with the disastrous results. The little girl comes to the conclusion that her mother doesn’t make sense. After all, Mommy tells the child that coffee is yucky, even as she drinks it herself. Maybe it’s because she’s too tall and doesn’t see things from a small child’s perspective, or maybe she doesn’t have time to think. Charrier allows the little one to express her bafflement, speaking directly to readers in a tone that is a mix of innocence and exasperation. The intrepid narrator is appealing and funny, but the point of the book just doesn’t come clear. When all is abruptly forgiven with smiles and hugs and Mommy suddenly understands, readers may be left confused as to what all the fuss was about. Domergue’s sprightly illustrations employ some humorous details that nicely enhance the action.

Amusing but flawed.