Just What Mama Needs

Just What Mama Needs. Sharlee Mullins Glenn. Illustrated by Amiko Hirao. 2008. Harcourt. 32 pages.

On Monday Abby wore a red-striped shirt, raggedy pants, and a black patch over one eye. She swaggered around and sliced the air with her sword. "Yo, ho, ho!" she shouted. "A pirate!" said Mama. "Just what I need." So, Abby helped Mama swab the deck. Swish. Swish. Swash.

Abby, our heroine, loves to play dress up, loves to play make believe. Every day of the week readers see Abby at play. And every day of the week readers see just how much Abby is loved by her mom. I loved Abby. I loved seeing how her Mom uses her daughter's creativity--her imagination--to her advantage. I especially loved Saturday when Abby was a queen.

"So Abby helped Mama do the royal shopping. The store doors opened at her command. She rode high in her silver carriage and called out her orders: "Five bananas! Two loaves of bread! One jar of peanut butter!" She helped pay with coins from the imperial treasury. Plink. Plink. Plink."

I've never read a book about chores that was so charming.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers