Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4^-6. The green dinochild of What Dads Can't Do enjoys listing the activities his mother can't seem to accomplish without his help. She can't make lunch without advice (the illustrations indicate his preference for "Gummi Goops" instead of a sandwich and carrot sticks), she can't push the grocery cart fast enough, and sometimes she can't hear herself think ("Whatever that means" ). Whether she's finding toads in the laundry or watching scary movies in her fuzzy pink bathrobe, Mom is at the center of each bright composition, playing with, comforting, and listening to her young son. This title is shorter than its predecessor and finds the duo sticking closer to home than Dad and son did. The conceit also wears a bit thin, but the can-do spirit of the story--and the message that moms will always be there for you and love you--remains strong. --Amy Brandt
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Following closely on the heels of What Dads Can't Do and starring the same irresistible dinos, What Moms Can't Do by Douglas Wood, illus. by Doug Cushman, once again injects humor into every scenario. The spread "Moms can't wait... to wake up kids in the morning. They can't make the bed without lots of help," for instance, shows only a set of reptilian toes on a pillow, then jumping on the bed to "help" make it. ( Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-A young dinosaur helps his mother with many everyday chores that he thinks she can't possibly manage alone: making beds, picking up, selecting clothes, going grocery shopping, packing lunches, etc. But the one thing moms can do, he concedes, is to love you. Cheery illustrations in pen and ink, watercolors, and gouache enliven this humorous, if slight, picture book told from a child's viewpoint.-Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this companion to [cf2]What Dads Can't Do,[cf1] a little dinosaur lists all the things that moms can't do on their own, such as picking out clothes, making lunch, and watching scary movies. The humorous illustrations, which tell a somewhat different story (the little dinosaur really needs his mom's help), playfully capture this loving relationship from morning to bedtime. From HORN BOOK Fall 2001, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Woods companion title to What Dads Cant Do (p. 725) is a droll salute to motherhood. A young child considers the many limitations his mother stoically endures; from her apparent inability to make tasty brown-bag lunches to her difficulties with saying good-bye. Young children will get a kick out of the comical textSometimes moms cant hear themselves think (whatever that means)and the topsy-turvy perspective of a world according to preschoolers. As expected, this whimsical enumeration of a moms short-comings is more of a reflection of the childs outlook than the reality of the situation. What is an unexpected treasure is how such brief and utterly comical statements can convincingly convey the deep bonds between mother and child. This is in part due to the interplay between the text and art. Each pithy statement is accompanied by brightly colored pen-and-ink drawings that deftly capture the boundless energy of small fry and the steadfast patience that is a job requirement of motherhood. Cushmans wryly humorous drawings provide the subtext to the tale and tell the real story; e.g., Moms can never pick out just the right clothes is accompanied by the comical illustration of a pint-sized despot, clad only in his undies, staunchly refusing a myriad of outfits proffered by his long-suffering parent. The dynamic interaction between prose and pictures makes this sweetly funny and winsome tale a delight for adults to read and children to hear. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
