Two cartoonists pair up to create a hilarious and relatable story of that most exasperating of childhood experiences - being stuck waiting while your parents talk, and talk, and talk!
The book is narrated by young Molly, who loves going to the park, she's ready to go, she's all dressed, she's got plans, they're setting out and... OH NO. "The Credenzas" a pair of aging hippies and their next door neighbors have sidetracked Molly's moms! The Talking Has Begun.
Molly's little brother, Seth, is content to settle down with his ball and wait. Molly can do this. She's good at waiting. She lists allllll the boring things she has waited through over the years, from her brother's dance recitals to endless stories, car drives, and dentist trips. She can do this. But grown-up talk is soooo boring! In fact, Molly is being surrounded by all the names of people she's never met, like Salazar Saladbar or Dr. Doody or.... she can't stand it any longer! She could be at the park! She could be having fun! Instead, she is being sucked into a black hole of endless, endless talking... is there no escape? Will she never get to the park?
This was absolutely hilarious, but it's not really an ideal read-aloud. There are multiple narratives, from Molly's moms and the Credenzas talking about garlic presses, oil changes, and other boring adult things to Molly's mental meanderings. There are a lot of details in the artwork as well, that would make it tricky to read aloud in a group setting. However, it's a perfect choice for kids who like funny picture books - and I've finally started getting an audience for older kids who enjoy picture books - and are allowed to read them!
Verdict: Definitely for kids whose parents have a sense of humor and remember what it was like to be a kid waiting for their parents to stop talking! This will click best with young school-age kids, or be a good read-aloud for a small group. There's lots of humor for the parents included as well. Recommended.
ISBN: 9781250800275; Published April 2022 by Roaring Brook; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library
2 comments:
I should get this for my now-grown kids. They used to always complain about this, LOL! They hated when I ran into other mom friends at the grocery store.
Ironically, I'm nearly 40 and I still feel like this when I go out walking with my mom and she stops to talk to everyone she sees lol.
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