Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

From "a brief historical overview" to malfunction trouble-shooting, this guide offers tips, rules, and advice for the care and maintenance of a mom. Readers may get a kick out of the text, which equates mothers with pets or household appliances, but the whole thing likely holds more appeal for adults in the know. Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations evoke the rigors of motherhood.

Kirkus Reviews

Ostensibly a guide for children on the care and feeding of mothers, this lengthy picture book has unlikely kid appeal but may emerge as the hit of the soccer-mom and baby-shower circuits.  Cornell ratchets up the humor of her cartoon-style illustrations to depict Cronin's "Brief Historical Overview" from "Prehistoric Sludge Mom" to "Cave Mom" to "Pilgrim" and "Hippie Mom(s)." The book focuses, however, on contemporary motherhood's challenges, telling children "there are many things you can do to ensure many years of trouble-free operation" of their moms, who need regular amounts of "SNEW" (sleep, nutrition, exercise and water) for optimal performance. Following pages humorously describe how to guarantee sufficient SNEW levels and recount the perils of its inadequate delivery. Cronin's conceit gets a little tired, particularly when resorting to placing blame for the "Malfunctioning Mom" or "Cranky Mom" on fathers, but Cornell's well-designed and well-paced spreads make the most of every bit of textual humor. In this era of Tiger Mothers, attachment parenting, the mommy track and The Three-Martini Playdate, Cronin and Cornell's collaboration will strike a nerve with moms looking for a laugh and a bit of validation—if only they can find the time to read it! (Picture book. Adult)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

K-Gr 3 This humorous guide to the care and feeding of moms includes directives on how to ensure they get enough sleep, nutrition, exercise, and water. Written like a manual for a washing machine or dishwasher, the book touches on topics such as, "Grooming," "Outdoor Use," and "Troubleshooting." It includes a brief history of mothers, ideas on what to do in the case of minor malfunctions, and directions on how to "Reset" your mother. Sketchy, colorful pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations add energy and laughs to the presentation. This title might make an entertaining gift for mothers and mothers-to-be, but children will give up on the overlong narrative, even though it is ostensibly directed toward them. Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

ALA Booklist (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

It is hard to tell who will enjoy this more, kids or mom. The wry text attempts to explain this befuddling creature and offers helpful hints for her care and feeding: "It is extremely important that she get at least two well-balanced meals a day from the ideal' or acceptable' categories below." An accompanying illustration shows readers that lunchbox leftovers are quite acceptable. Advice includes watching for danger signs: "Experience has taught us that certain auditory signals may indicate minor malfunctions." The listed signals will be familiar to all families: heavy sighing, groaning, snapping, and "eerie silence." The humor does get one-note after a while; but scratchy cartoon illustrations on each page keep things light and often express what can't be put into words: "If you see this, escape is the only option" is accompanied by an illustration that shows a mom who is clearly about to lose her cool. The conceit of child-as-owner is apt; many kids do feel proprietary toward their parents, and parents may often feel they are in the service of small, demanding tyrants.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Cronin (Rescue Bunnies) offers children detailed advice on how to better understand and deal with one-s mother. This troubleshooting guide provides step-by-step instructions for addressing moms who don-t get enough of the daily basics, -Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, and Water, or