EDDIE GETS READY FOR SCHOOL

That age-old struggle of getting kids off to school in the morning goes to new extremes in this howler from Milgrim.

Written entirely in the form of a checklist, this is the morning routine of one overly enthusiastic and fiercely independent little boy. The wake-up call he gives his parents is by megaphone, their limbs and pillows flying under the assault. Next he tackles breakfast and feeding the dog, both of which are accomplished with an entire box of cereal. His next three tasks—get dressed (cape, no shirt, pajama bottoms, helmet made of underwear), watch cartoons and drink root beer—are amended by his hands-on-hips mother: “Turn off TV this instant / Pour out root beer / Really get dressed.” And those are not the only things she vetoes—the cat cannot go to show-and-tell…nor can the dog, the fish, the bird or the television. Throughout it all, though, the irrepressible Eddie keeps his delightful smile and his winning attitude. As he waves from the bus, his final item is checked off: “Give myself 3 cheers! I did it!” Milgrim’s hysterical illustrations tell the bulk of the story. The bright colors and simple outlines and backgrounds make the humorous details stand out all the more.