Thanks a LOT, Emily Post!, by Jennifer LaRue Huget, ill. Alexandra Boiger
“Everything was just dandy… till that Emily Post book showed up.” When a family of wild children is suddenly expected to start gaining some civilized behaviour, they are, to say the least, a little put out.
Suddenly their home is overrun by the characters from her book, who help their mother boss them around and endlessly correct them. Eventually, they have had enough, and they hatch quite the clever plan. Turns out, it’s tough for anyone to try to live up to the standards of Best Society, and when they turn the tables, their mother doesn’t like it much more than they did.
This book is set in the 1920s, when Emily Post’s famous book of etiquette first appeared with a splash and mothers everywhere began to try and tame their children accordingly. The illustrations are great, with lots of fun detail – fans of David Small’s work might find these have some of the same spirit.
The tone, as spoken by the kids, is suitably unimpressed as it lists all the things they can’t do any more, yet doesn’t veer into the truly bratty, keeping the book funny, not obnoxious. I found myself sort of cheering for their plan, in fact, as it is clear these kids are clever and creative, something I love to back in kids’ books.
If you kind of like a little lighthearted rebellion in your kids books, this new title is a winner – and you can see the appeal for slightly older kids here, who know well what a drag it is to be told to sit up straight.
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