Starred review from January 3, 2022
Farris, a doctor and cartoonist, debuts with a clever illustrated take on first-time motherhood. Each chapter tackles a different phase of becoming and being a parent, including newborn mom, infant mom, toddler mom, and elementary school mom. Farris playfully uses the phrasing of baby books (“At this stage, newborn mom may be able to gaze at the baby, possibly with a confused or bewildered look”) and revels in the absurdity of common parenting advice (a page entitled “Sleep when the baby sleeps” suggests doing so “at a dinner party” or “while you dry your hair”). Bits are repeated in each section, such as annotated anatomical drawings, Mom’s likes and dislikes at each stage (“chasing baby around” is both a like and a dislike at the “toddler mom” stage), what Mom does on the weekend, and notes-to-self. Wry observational humor and self-kindness take the lead, and Farris’s illustrative chops shine (even on the copyright page) with simple linework and a busy but pastel-leaning color palette. Farris successfully upends the idea of a baby milestone tracker by turning it into an often amusing but sincere and affirming take on motherhood. This is a no-brainer for parents of all experience levels. Agent: Melissa Flashman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc.
March 15, 2022
With humor and been-there understanding, author and illustrator Farris flips the script on baby-rearing guides with this spot-on account of the birth and development of a mom. A newborn mom is as grimacing, dazed, and puffy-eyed as her new baby. This mom needs tip sheets like ""Places to Go with a New Baby"" (the bathroom, the window, the mailbox). Newborn mom will welcome help countering the advice to "sleep when the baby sleeps."" How about a good sleep in the car, or while drying hair? As mom grows, she will appreciate Bedtime the Board Game and develop the instinct that a quiet toddler spells trouble. Kindergarten mom has attained the first day of school milestone and is accustomed to her invisible chore chart (birthdays, appointments, dinner). The days are long, but the years are indeed short. Farris has your back, mom. Readers will cozy up to calming, knowing comics-style illustrations and lap up the milk of compassion and solidarity in each mom milestone.
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