Must. Push. Buttons!

November 3, 2014
Good, a writer and comedian, created a small viral sensation in 2011 by blogging a list entitled “Approximately Three Minutes Inside the Head of My Two-Year-Old.” Krosoczka (Peanut Butter and Jellyfish) turns a (less profane) version of the list into a jumble of vignettes starring a mischievous boy, whose behavior slips and slides along a continuum that ranges from “Mommy left FOREVER!” (no, she’s right there in the kitchen) to “I think I peed.” As stories go, it’s basically a series of rapidly shifting emotional gears: “I’m tired. I’m not tired. This shirt itches. STOP ASKING ME IF I’M TIRED.” The boy has enough agency and independence to be an appealing hero (he seems closer to a preschooler than the original list’s toddler), but the action is surprisingly mild-mannered; because the scenes and literal captions never build to anything, the pages quickly take on a catalog feel. Nevertheless, weary parents—as well those responsible for some of that weariness—will find it easy to recognize themselves. Ages 3–6. Author’s agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

October 15, 2014
A rambunctious child tries to find outlets for his surfeit of energy.As the title implies, this little boy is into everything: Daddy's phone, Mommy's shoes, the kitchen appliances-you name it, he'll fuss with it. Written in first person, Good's text ends up coming across more like an adult's impression of a busy child than it does the voice of a little one, and it lacks the structure necessary to deliver a complete story. Instead, the book delivers a familiar character study of the into-everything toddler. Krosoczka's digitally assembled, multimedia art attempts to capture the protagonist's high energy with multiple scenes showing him in midaction as he explores the world around him at a frantic pace, but the illustrations end up being largely redundant to rather than expansive of the text. Furthermore, the sequence of events has no apparent order-spreads could be rearranged without any impact on the book as a whole, expect for the ultimate, predictable closing scene that shows the child tuckered out after his busy day and fast asleep in a chair. Ultimately, Good and Krosoczka's collaboration seems to serve more as a validation for adult perceptions of toddler behavior than it acts as a story for actual toddlers to enjoy. Not a must. read. book. (Picture book. 2-4)

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October 1, 2014

PreS-K-This book provides a look at the inner workings of a toddler's mind. "You really want to know what he's thinking?... Really? Okay, brace yourself." The boy's off-the-wall thoughts are translated into a frenzied reality as he explores, from trying on his mama's high-heeled shoes to picking up the family pet by its head. His fascination with every button in his house occupies his thoughts. When easily distracted, his attention immediately flits back to his family in dramatic fashion. "'Wait, where's Daddy? Where's the cat? Where' s Mommy? MOMMY LEFT FOREVER!'" The high-energy incredulity of the boy's realizations, such as when he discovers his toes or notices he urinated on himself, dominates each scene until he finally succumbs to sleep. Colors bleed outside of coarse charcoal lines to convey a childlike exuberance. Mixed-media illustrations, from art digitally created by acrylic paints, watercolors, and oil pastels, maintain the loud energy found within the child's home. Even brightly patterned wallpaper adds bold color to the decor. In a manic glimpse into the absence of impulse control, this child's zany exuberance knows no bounds.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

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