The Boss Baby

Starred review from July 5, 2010
In a perfect pick-me-up for both older siblings and bleary-eyed new parents, Frazee (All the World) hilariously parses their new status. The brilliant baby-as-boss metaphor drives the book from the start, as a baby strides in from his taxi, outfitted with a suit (complete with rear-end flap and pj-style "footies"), briefcase, and a permanent scowl. Caldecott Honoree Frazee milks this comparison for every possible laugh ("The funky thing was, he never, ever said a single word that made any sense at all"), and the baby's job perks include "the spa" (a bubble bath), "the executive gym" (he attempts a pull-up on a baby gym), and "drinks made to order, 24/7" (the baby sits at a red-checked table littered with bottles, demanding service with his finger in the air). Cartoon vignettes in pencil-streaked gouache hum with a funky, retro style seen in sleek furnishings and the '50s fashions of the accommodating but increasingly exhausted parents. Finally, when the baby's tantrums can't rouse them, he discovers a more effective management technique––"Ma-ma? Da-da?" Clever and empathetic, this book is an especially apropos choice for the baby shower circuit. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from October 10, 2016
In The Boss Baby, Frazee compared first-time parenthood to life under a tiny, bald corporate chief in a one-piece suit. Every bit as funny as its predecessor, this sequel presents the dramatic shake-up after the arrival of the Boss Baby’s infant sister, who “restructure the organization... from the top down.” The new CEO accessorizes her black onesie with a string of chewable pearls, carries an Etch-a-Sketch like a laptop, and “was bossier than the Boss Baby had ever been. Which seems impossible.” The demoted Boss Baby glowers as “the staff” dotes on the CEO and ignores his attention-seeking behavior. Frazee excels at locating the humor in trying situations in her always lovely pencil-and-gouache artwork, picturing the independent toddler stripping naked and peeing on a bed of flowers while his oblivious parents coo at the CEO in her fancy stroller, aka “the private limo.” Elder siblings and parents alike will recognize the tensions that come with a growing family, and the just-sweet-enough resolution proves that this CEO knows how to negotiate a takeover with savvy. Up to age 8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.