UH-OH!
by Rachel Isadora & illustrated by Rachel Isadora
A young child’s day is filled with that infamous phrase, “Uh-oh!” Right-hand pages show the child (gender neutral) going about daily routines and feature a noun, such as “diaper,” “breakfast,” “crayons” or “bedtime.” A turn of the page reveals the “uh-oh” situation: In the sandbox, the sand goes flying, the clean clothes don’t quite make it on to the correct body parts and the shared ice-cream cone ends up on the ground. The “uh-oh’s” are a nice mix of accident, inexperience and mischievousness. Isadora’s pastel illustrations are a delight, depicting an adorably dimpled African-American child with a wide range of expressions. Indeed, even when the child is being naughty, the sheer joy on his/her face makes it hard for even the sternest readers to keep from smiling, too. While perhaps not for the impressionable or those easily led astray, this could be a springboard to conversations about behavior, and the illustrations are not to be missed—nor is Isadora’s Peekaboo Bedtime, also due out this month. (Picture book. 2-5)