Who Is Making a Mess?
Who Is Making a Mess?
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Board Book ©2020--
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Amicus Inc Paperbacks
Annotation: Life is messy. And sometimes, the person making the mess will surprise you! Sparse text and family scenes from a diverse group of people break expected stereotypes and celebrate the messiness of life in this board book.
 
Reviews: 2
Catalog Number: #571526
Format: Board Book
Special Formats: Board Book Board Book
Copyright Date: 2020
Edition Date: 2020 Release Date: 02/25/20
ISBN: 1-681-52503-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-681-52503-7
Dewey: E
Language: English
Reviews:
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

From spilled motor oil to sprayed water, everyone makes a mess.The repeated phrase "Who is making a mess?" finds everyone from Grandpa to the baby involved in the untidiness. The marriage of D'Haene's text with Ryan's illustrations invites readers to guess who's made each mess based on the images. The purposefully vague initial depiction of the culprit often challenges readers' assumptions of who has left each smear or heap of debris. For example, the opening illustration shows a denim-clad someone changing the oil in a car, legs poking out from underneath. A turn of the page reveals that it is Mama making that mess while her partner or spouse (gender is unclear) wrangles the little ones. Other scenes-Grandpa baking while wearing an apron and with a baby in a back carrier-play out similarly. The diverse cast includes same-sex parents, interracial families, and many children and adults of color. The repetition of D'Haene's question-and-answer structure makes it nicely predictable for little readers, with familiarity quicker to build upon repeat readings. Ryan's illustrations feel alive thanks to the motion of the mess itself, with flying blobs of batter, juicy drips of food, and sprinkles of grease and oil. Charming details provide plenty for readers to pore over each page, and the deep orange, red, and golden yellow tones give the book warmth.Good clean fun. (Board book. 1-3)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

From spilled motor oil to sprayed water, everyone makes a mess.The repeated phrase "Who is making a mess?" finds everyone from Grandpa to the baby involved in the untidiness. The marriage of D'Haene's text with Ryan's illustrations invites readers to guess who's made each mess based on the images. The purposefully vague initial depiction of the culprit often challenges readers' assumptions of who has left each smear or heap of debris. For example, the opening illustration shows a denim-clad someone changing the oil in a car, legs poking out from underneath. A turn of the page reveals that it is Mama making that mess while her partner or spouse (gender is unclear) wrangles the little ones. Other scenes-Grandpa baking while wearing an apron and with a baby in a back carrier-play out similarly. The diverse cast includes same-sex parents, interracial families, and many children and adults of color. The repetition of D'Haene's question-and-answer structure makes it nicely predictable for little readers, with familiarity quicker to build upon repeat readings. Ryan's illustrations feel alive thanks to the motion of the mess itself, with flying blobs of batter, juicy drips of food, and sprinkles of grease and oil. Charming details provide plenty for readers to pore over each page, and the deep orange, red, and golden yellow tones give the book warmth.Good clean fun. (Board book. 1-3)

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Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
Reading Level: 1.0
Interest Level: P-K
Lexile: BR20L

"Good clean fun."Kirkus Reviews, starred
 
Life is messy. And sometimes, the person making the mess will surprise you!
 
Sparse text and family scenes from a diverse group of people break expected stereotypes and celebrate the messiness of life in this board book.
 
Debut author Maria D'Haene uses a question and answer format, encouraging readers to guess who makes each mess, and often challenges assumptions. Charlie Eve Ryan's warm, lively art shows both the chaos of messes and the joys of life shared with loved ones.
 
Perfect for sharing with and reading aloud to babies, toddlers and preschoolers, this board book makes a great gift for new parents and their little ones.


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