Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
DiPucchio (Mouse & Giraffe) and Bynum (Sloth Is Not a Baby!) deliver a fairy tale send-up that wittily interrogates familial belonging. Three infants emerge from a bilious-looking swamp to make parents out of an elated ogre couple. Two of the tots, which are green and clearly resemble ogre-kind, are accordingly named Hairy Knuckles and Crusty Boogers, while the third is a pink-skinned being that resembles a human baby. Though her sheer adorableness is initially off-putting to her caretakers, she's quickly embraced and dubbed Mary Beth. The seemingly dainty, pinafore-wearing girl accepts her differences, but she can't stand being held at a remove: "While her brothers had all the fun pestering farmers and scaring the cheese curds out of cattle and playing tricks on the royal family," Mary Beth is relegated to the sidelines. Digitally finished ink and watercolor cartooning builds the book's cockeyed happily-ever-ogre sensibility, and a plot pivot involving an evil prince, a golden-egg-laying goose, and a threat emboldens the girl to embrace her core identity in ways that surprise everyone. It's a boisterous, affectionate celebration of family bonds as thicker than swamp water. Ages 2--5. Author's agent: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator's agent: Erzsi Deak, Hen&Ink. (June)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--In a playful fairy-tale remix, a pair of ogre parents eagerly await the birth of their new babies. The first two ogres emerge exactly as expected--loud, slimy, and gloriously revolting. The third child, Mary Beth, is an unexpected surprise: she is conventionally adorable. Although her parents insist they love all their children equally, Marybeth, who appears human with tan skin, can't help noticing how differently she is treated. While her brothers terrorize farmers and revel in ogre mayhem, Mary Beth is sent to the market to sell goose eggs because she "can't even startle a rabbit." However, when a greedy prince notices that Mary Beth's eggs are golden, she finally gets the chance to prove, to her family and herself, that scary comes in many forms. Familiar fairy-tale settings and character types ground the story, while clever details--a camera-toting Papa Ogre and brothers with a quirky command of language--add freshness and humor. The one-note characterization suits the genre and will resonate with young readers. Delightfully comic illustrations, rendered in ink, watercolor, and digital media, heighten the humor and action. Themes of self-acceptance, diversity, and not judging by appearances are handled with a light touch and a satisfying twist. Readers may come for the nose-picking ogres, but they'll stay for a story that feels both comfortingly familiar and surprisingly new. VERDICT A fun, creative take on classic fairy-tale tropes.--Louie Lauer
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