Good Thing You're Not an Octopus!

The world of small children is filled with day-in, day-out challenges and tiresome activities. If someone's not telling you to get dressed, they're making you eat lunch, climb into the car seat, or take a nap. However, young humans should count their blessings. Baby birds have to eat worms for lunch. Tigers may not ever have to climb into a bathtub, but that's because their mothers are always licking them clean! And imagine being a shark when it comes time to brush your teeth--all 200 of them. Julie Markes hits her mark with this clever picture book, which will probably make at least a few human children appreciate their relatively simple daily routines (at least when compared to shoeless caterpillars). Maggie Smith's playful, detailed illustrations bring every character to life, with continually changing expressions even on the faces of the protagonist's many stuffed animals. Smith's artistic humor, combined with Markes's wise, wonderful text, will make this a favorite among kids and their parents, who may even want to expand and personalize the game for their own daily skirmishes. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter