Take Your Mama to Work Today

January 16, 2012
Whether it’s due to a snow day or baby-sitter illness, “You never know when you might have to go to work at the office.” Should that happen, says the irrepressible, nattily dressed, umbrella-wielding narrator, Violet, make the most of it. “Hop hop hop across the entire lobby on just the black squares,” she instructs, “all the way to the elevator and push the UP button. Grown-ups love it when kids push the elevator buttons for them.” With this and other working world tips, Violet proves to be a more benevolent, less spoiled version of Eloise; she’s literally bounding with energy and eagerness to help (except when she’s napping during a boring conference call, along with all the adults), and she’s so utterly confident that even the boss ends up taking her advice on how to give an effective presentation. Although adults may identify more closely with Violet’s flummoxed mother, those still too young for the labor force should get a kick out of seeing how easy it is to discombobulate the button-down mind. Ages 4–8. Agent: BookStop Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt Agency.

January 1, 2012
A feisty, 7-ish girl informs readers what to expect when a snow day, babysitter snafu or "Take Your Child to Work Day" necessitates accompanying a parent to the office. From the "hop hop hop" across the lobby floor on "just the black squares," it's clear that Violet's visit will be a topsy-turvy experience for her mom's bemused and beleaguered co-workers. Reichert embellishes a narrative style reminiscent of Laura Numeroff's in the If You Give… series and presents a sturdy heroine evocative of Kay Thompson's Eloise (as a member of the proletariat). Violet's helpful advice interprets coffee breaks (snack time, with doughnuts) and networking (distributing your rampantly photocopied face, appended with your name and title). She helps the boss with his staff presentation (show-and-tell) and revels in office supplies. Boiger weaves her own daughter's persona into these pencil-and–mixed-media illustrations, depicting Violet and her mother in color, while co-workers are rendered in pale blue-grays and ochres, and office equipment is outlined in similarly sere tones. Violet sports a green, pom-pom–topped cap, red sweater, denim shorts, striped tights and black low-top sneakers. Mom's cranberry-colored umbrella figures visually in Violet's day, whether it's skewering doughnuts or delivering a shower of confetti adeptly fashioned from shredded paper and punched holes. Many families will enjoy the interplay here between mother (efficient and loving) and daughter (sky's the limit). (Picture book. 4-8)

(COPYRIGHT (2012) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

February 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 2-A young girl presents a primer on how to be a "professional Mama's office helper." In an accomplished, matter-of-fact tone, Violet offers tips on helping the boss with a presentation ("that's like show-and-tell for grown-ups"), preparing needed supplies ("Sharpen your pencils and put them in your desk, or in a pencil cup, or line them up, or spell your name with them"), and answering the phone ("DO NOT HANG UP THE PHONE BEFORE YOU PUSH THE HOLD BUTTON"). Boiger's whimsical watercolor illustrations show the charismatic little helper playing chair tag to "liven things up" in a meeting and teaching an adult how to add a "snazzy personal touch" by lying face down on the copy machine. Lots of cheeky fun that's sure to elicit giggles.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2012
Preschool-G Snow days, half days, or sick babysitter, you never know when it might be Take Your Child to Work Day. Young Violet offers children plenty of advice for the professional world in this lighthearted tale that uses the circular, second-person style of Laura Numeroff's If You Give . . . series. After her first hops across the lobby, there's Mrs. Honey's secret candy drawer and even a hole punch for making confetti. Much of work, it turns out, is similar to school, with coffee breaks like snack time and presentations like show-and-tell. But Violet has warnings as well: Do not push 1 and 1 and 1 if you want three copies!!! Eloise-esque illustrations expertly capture the exuberant girl's innocuous misbehavior as well as all of the exhausted adults. As the day wears on, so too does Violet's mother's patience. Children will relate to Violet's enthusiasm to return to the office, and adults will recognize the coworkers' subtle eye rolling.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)