5: Double Love and Challenging Parental Stereotypes!
This volume is two books in one, but with different illustrations built around identical texts (except one version talks about "mommies" while the other one talks about "daddies"). One cover has the mommies while the other cover has the daddies. The two texts and covers are printed upside down from one another. I've never seen a book quite like it. Just when you think that it's merely cute, you begin to notice subtle differences. The sex roles are mixed among the parents, and the illustrations mix it up even more. Mommies are messier than in the usual expectation in some cases, while daddies are neater than the usual expectation in other cases. The illustrations feature warm, funny anthropomorphic animals that will have you and your child giggling. The book will encourage much more involvement for both parents with your youngster. I recommend this book as a gift from a child for either mother's day or father's day. The mommies' version begins with bears while the daddies' has hippos. I think the mommies got the advantage on that one. " . . . can teach you how to ride a bicycle, make a snowman with you, and bake a delicious cake for your birthday." The daddies' cake is much nicer though. Maybe the daddies did okay. What do you think? The mommies' version goes on to use pigs. Hmmm. " . . . can help you make a garden grow, give you a piggyback ride, and take care of you when you're sick." But daddies are goats. I'm not sure either parent was advantaged here. The mommies pick up as mice. That one had me laughing. " . . . can watch the sun set with you, sew the loose button on your teddy bear, and hold you when you're feeling sad." The daddies are foxes. I roared when I saw that. In the next section, mommies are elephants. " . . . can take you trick-or-treating, help you give the dog a bath, and play in the park with your rollarblades." Daddies are rabbits. Mommies have the weight edge here. In the final section, mommies become . . . porcupines. " . . . can read you a bed time story, tuck you in, and kiss you good-night." "But best of all, . . . can give you lots and lots of love!" Guess what daddies are? Crocodiles! Pretty sharp, eh? However you decide to have fun with this book, it should add a whole new meaning to parenting in your household. Whether you are a mommy or a daddy, I suspect this book will give you the chance to do more things with your children. That's a great gift! After you finish the book, you might ask your child to discuss what animals other people remind her or him of. You can extend the humor in that way, and also get many interesting insights into how you child sees and thinks about others. Erase parental stereotypes with a big dose of laughter!
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