Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

To young couples considering starting a family, it might be a warning.  To expectant parents, it could be a frank look at imminent family changes.  To already-been-there parents, it’s preaching to the choir.  To grandparents, it’ll bring about giggles.  And to kids it will cause laughter and demands for rereads.  

But no matter the reader, The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee will definitely be enjoyed.

Make no mistake, the moment the baby arrives at the house, he immediately becomes the boss.  Mom and Dad are put on a round the clock schedule, demands are made, expectations are set, and if certain adults don’t toe the line, watch out.  The boss has a fit.  And believe it or not, words are never spoken.  No verbal directions are ever given, but that doesn’t prevent the baby from getting what he wants.  Always.  Until...

One day, suddenly, “his staff did not respond.”  The boss had worked Mom and Dad to their limit, and none of his usual methods for getting what he wanted could rouse them from their midday slumber.  A new tactic was necessary.  Some out-of-the-box thinking was needed from company leadership, and the idea he settled upon produces amazing results.

The Boss Baby takes a unique look the effect a new member can have on the family.  Everything mentioned is exactly right.  Babies make demands, everyone’s schedule becomes the baby’s schedule, and baby supplies take over the house.  But when the new baby is wearing a suit and tie, it becomes ever more apparent who the boss actually is.

Subsequent readings and closer analysis of Marla Frazee’s illustrations will bring even more appreciation of the book.  Think about a boss of a major company.  Bosses have their own lounge, spa, executive gym, made to order drinks, and a private jet.  So does the baby in his own baby way.  The plastic tub in the sink is the spa.  Play sets become the executive gym.  The private jet swings through and open doorway and is connected to the frame.  No perk is excluded for this boss.

No matter who the reader, The Boss Baby (both the book and actual babies snuggled up for reading time) will be loved.

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