JUST WHAT MAMA NEEDS

On Monday, Abby dresses as a pirate—just the ticket, says Mama, to help swab the kitchen floor. On Tuesday, she’s a detective, perfect for pulling missing socks and underwear from the wash. Cast as floppy eared pooches in Hirao’s cheery collage-and-paint scenes, Abby and her ever-inventive Mama go through an entire week of familiar domestic tasks together. Then on Sunday Abby stumps her parent by dressing in a favorite shirt: “ ‘Are you an artist?’ ‘No,’ said Abby. ‘A drummer?’ ‘No,’ said Abby. ‘A zookeeper? A yodeler?’ ” No, she finally declares, “ ‘Today I am . . . ME!’ ” Mama responds with a hug and her own declaration that an “Abby” is what she needs most of all. As cozy as it can get without falling into gooey sentimentality, this playful colloquy probably won’t change anyone’s attitude about doing chores, but it may make them seem a little less onerous. (Picture book. 6-8)