A QUICK TRIP TO THE STORE

A mother and child both hate going to the grocery store but for distinctly different reasons.

The family is out of bananas. To the dreaded store the pair must go, even as Mom contends that “it’s difficult to shop with children” while the youngster counters, “It’s difficult to shop with moms.” Both concur: “What a perfect way to ruin a Saturday morning.” Mom at least allows the protagonist to ride the mechanical horse in front of the Oinkly Doinkly, but the youngster is quickly distracted by a more tempting alternative. While Mom’s busy chatting with a friend, the child’s attempts to return an errant shopping cart result in quite the solo adventure. At least the bananas are eventually located! Bruised they may be, but they’re perfect for whipping up banana bread for the harried store employees. Wedelich transforms a quotidian task into a rambunctious escapade, albeit one infused with kids-don’t-try-this-at-home messaging. Her vibrant cartoonlike illustrations bleed off the pages, overflowing with an impossible-to-contain energy—particularly when it comes to that rolling shopping cart. The artwork is rife with eye-catching details (a bag of “Tooth-Rotter Chee-z Doodles”) and enhanced with perfect comedic timing; at book’s end, a banana peel—a comedic staple—causes delightful kitchen havoc. Mom is tan-skinned, while the child is slightly paler; Wedelich populates the grocery store with widely diverse shoppers and staff.

A dreaded chore presents an opportunity for irresistible fun.