Available:*
Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607003584623 | Picture Books | BROWN | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
From a New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott-honor winning artist comes an exuberant illustrated story about playing dress up, having fun, and feeling free.
The boy loves to be naked. He romps around his house naked and wild and free. Until he romps into his parents' closet and is inspired to get dressed. First he tries on his dad's clothes, but they don't fit well. Then he tries on his mom's clothes, and wow! The boy looks great. He looks through his mom's jewelry and makeup and tries that on, too. When he's discovered by his mother and father, the whole family (including the dog!) get in on the fun, and they all get dressed together.This charming and humorous story was inspired by bestselling and award-winning author Peter Brown's own childhood, and highlights nontraditional gender roles and self-expression.
Author Notes
Peter Brown is the author and illustrator of many bestselling children's books, including Children Make Terrible Pets, Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, and The Curious Garden . He is also the author of the bestselling middle-grade duology The Wild Robot and The Wild Robot Escapes . He is the recipient of a Caldecott Honor for Creepy Carrots! , two E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book award, and a Children's Choice Award for Illustrator of the Year. Peter's website is www.peterbrownstudio.com.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--In this delightful look at kids, clothes, and imagination, a white child named Fred starts out wearing nothing: "He romps through the house naked and wild and free." Appealing illustrations capture the child's carefree joy as he dances, jumps, and plays without a trace of self-consciousness. The naked playtime shifts, though, when he enters his parents' bedroom. In the closet, he looks at his father's clothes, but they don't fit. On his mother's side, however, he finds a blouse that fits like a dress on him, and shoes that are wobbly, but wearable. Then he decides to accessorize. The sequence of illustrations neatly supports the boy's thought processes, with varied layouts that compare his evaluations of what each parent's clothing has to offer. Fred's choice of clothing is both practical (they fit better) and preferential (they seem more fun). When the climactic scene of his parents' entry arrives, Fred has added jewelry and messily applied lipstick. Consecutive wordless spreads capture the moment perfectly: blank looks from the adults that quickly turn to smiles as the mother offers grooming techniques and even the dog is playfully adorned. The closing image shows that Fred is finally "mostly dressed" though bare from the waist down. Themes of acceptance, family love, and gender nonconformity resonate without overwhelming the simple story. VERDICT A fun, funny, and insightful look at accepting kids just as they are.--Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville P.L., OR
Publisher's Weekly Review
First establishing his protagonist's delight in zooming around the house "naked and wild and free," Brown (The Wild Robot) shows white-skinned, brown-haired Fred striking one joyful pose after another. But when Fred ends up in a magical place--his parents' closet--getting dressed becomes irresistible. He has trouble donning his father's shirt and tie, but Mom's clothes are a different story. The book's limited palette of olive, brown, and bright pink combines to form a wardrobe that, to Fred's eyes, is razzle-dazzle--and his mother's makeup and jewelry only add to the allure. When Mom and Dad discover Fred, now dressed in a blouse-and-scarf turned frock, heels, and a dash of lipstick, Brown draws the scene as a parent-child stand-off, an ominous beat that seems to suggest potential conflict. But a page turn reveals smiles and everyone--down to the family dog--getting into the dress-up game: Mom gives makeup lessons, and Dad dons blush and jewelry. With nonjudgmental parents who appreciate their son however he dresses, Fred really has it all. Well, almost--as the final cheeky image shows, he could use a pair of underpants. Ages 3--6. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary. (May)