Doreen Cronin, is the author of many #1 bestselling picture books. These would include a Caldecott honor book Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type. She is a prolific author with a great sense of humor. Two of her most recent publications include: M.O.M and The Trouble With Chickens.
M.O.M is a picture book that is actually more for the adults in the house than the kids. While it has fabulous comic like illustrations that are appealing to the eye, it really reads with an adult sense of humor. The book could be considered for the older picture book crowd. M.O.M is a Mom Operating Manual, batteries not included, of course. It is a manual on how to take care of mom. To sum it all up, basically it tells you how to avoid damage to your mother’s well being.
“It is widely accepted that mothers are the most advanced human models on the planet. They are capable of superhuman energy, strength, patience and creativity. They come in many shapes and sizes. They have various talents, skills, like cooking, singing, sewing, Olympic athleticism, and neurosurgery.”
Cronin defines mom as a female parent, a lady of authority or utterer of “Because I say so.” But most important mom is the definition of a complex machine who runs full speed on little fuel and almost no sleep whatsoever also WONDER WOMAN! Brilliant!
The book continues to talk about the type of mother you might have, well rested (not too many of these are around) to barely upright but still functioning mom. Care and maintenance of a mother, the daily basics include, sleep, nutrition, exercise and water short for SNEW. Who knew? The book also points out that each mom has her own dress code and of course there is no override button on this one. The author’s advisement to all, keep comments to yourself, especially important for dads.
But really the adults will get the biggest chuckle out of this book. It is hilarious but at the same time a book that can help children understand their mothers and how to please them? Biggest message of the book, moms are indispensable and if you take care of mom she’ll take care of you.
The Trouble with Chickens another recently released book is a fabulous read aloud or a wonderful chapter book for grades 2-4th. This is another hilariously written story written from the point of view of a rescue dog with great black and white illustrations. J.J. Tully, a retired search and rescue dog, has just recently retired to a lovely farm and enjoying the good life. Suddenly one day he has been asked to come out of retirement to find an annoying chicken’s missing baby chicks. The mother hen fears that her missing chicks have been kidnapped and are being held hostage inside the house. J.J. Tully decides to take the case on with the reward being a hamburger. Unfortunately the case isn’t an easy one. This is a great comical mystery that keeps the reader wondering until the very end. Hopefully this is a first in a series of many more hilarious J.J. Tully Adventures.
Thank you Doreen Cronin for your fabulous sense of humor and wonderfully written books for all ages. I personally can’t wait to see what you will publish next.
Check out her website for more information on this great author: http://www.doreencronin.com
Doreen Cronin's Books:Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type (Caldecott Honor Book)
Duck for President
Dooby Dooby Moo
Thump Quack Moo
Wiggle
Bounce
Stretch
Rescue Bunnies
Diary of a Worm
Diary of a Spider
Diary of a Fly
Click, Clack, Splish, Splash
Click, Clack, Quackity, Quack
Trouble with Chickens
M.O.M
