What Mommies Do Best/ What Daddies Do Best (Hardcover)

~ Laura Numeroff (Author), Lynn Munsinger (Illustrator) "Mommies can teach you how to ride a bicycle,..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1?An appealing flip book that presents mirrored texts. The first half shows a mother bear, pig, mouse, elephant, and porcupine engaging in everyday activities with her children. Readers learn that Mommies can build a snowman with you, bake a birthday cake, "sew the loose button on your teddy bear," watch the sunset, read a story, or "hold you when you're feeling sad." But best, "Mommies can give you lots and lots of love." Flip the book and read that Daddies can do the same thing. Munsinger's winsome watercolor depictions of the animals are warm and humorous. A perfect cuddly bedtime or storytime read-aloud choice, this title practically begs preschool or early elementary teachers to help children write and illustrate their own versions to present to their parents for holiday or any-day gifts.?Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3^-6. Although the title seems very sex-role specific, this sweet picture book is anything but. It is actually two stories in one, with the separate tales coming together in the center double spread, one side of which appears upside down. When children open What Mommies Do Best, they'll be treated to pictures of a variety of animal moms and their children reading stories, playing ball in the park, making snowmen, and watching the sunset. If they close the book and turn it upside down, they'll see What Daddies Do Best the same things Moms do. As usual, Munsinger's watercolors are bright and funny, and her animal characters are delightful. The book design may be gimmicky, but it will appeal to little ones, who will find the whole a soothing, comforting view of the ways parents can and do love their kids, somehow different yet so much the same. Stephanie Zvirin

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1st edition (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689805772
• ISBN-13: 978-0689805776
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #91,250 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Double Love and Challenging Parental Stereotypes!, May 17, 2001

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This volume is two books in one, but with different illustrations built around identical texts (except one version talks about "mommies" while the other one talks about "daddies"). One cover has the mommies while the other cover has the daddies. The two texts and covers are printed upside down from one another. I've never seen a book quite like it. Just when you think that it's merely cute, you begin to notice subtle differences. The sex roles are mixed among the parents, and the illustrations mix it up even more. Mommies are messier than in the usual expectation in some cases, while daddies are neater than the usual expectation in other cases. The illustrations feature warm, funny anthropomorphic animals that will have you and your child giggling. The book will encourage much more involvement for both parents with your youngster. I recommend this book as a gift from a child for either mother's day or father's day.

The mommies' version begins with bears while the daddies' has hippos. I think the mommies got the advantage on that one. " . . . can teach you how to ride a bicycle, make a snowman with you, and bake a delicious cake for your birthday." The daddies' cake is much nicer though. Maybe the daddies did okay. What do you think?

The mommies' version goes on to use pigs. Hmmm. " . . . can help you make a garden grow, give you a piggyback ride, and take care of you when you're sick." But daddies are goats. I'm not sure either parent was advantaged here.

The mommies pick up as mice. That one had me laughing. " . . . can watch the sun set with you, sew the loose button on your teddy bear, and hold you when you're feeling sad." The daddies are foxes. I roared when I saw that.

In the next section, mommies are elephants. " . . . can take you trick-or-treating, help you give the dog a bath, and play in the park with your rollarblades." Daddies are rabbits. Mommies have the weight edge here.

In the final section, mommies become . . . porcupines. " . . . can read you a bed time story, tuck you in, and kiss you good-night." "But best of all, . . . can give you lots and lots of love!" Guess what daddies are? Crocodiles! Pretty sharp, eh?

However you decide to have fun with this book, it should add a whole new meaning to parenting in your household. Whether you are a mommy or a daddy, I suspect this book will give you the chance to do more things with your children. That's a great gift!

After you finish the book, you might ask your child to discuss what animals other people remind her or him of. You can extend the humor in that way, and also get many interesting insights into how you child sees and thinks about others.

Erase parental stereotypes with a big dose of laughter!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for children who have one or both parents., January 22, 1999

By A Customer

My 18-month old loves this book. It accomodates the father which is great since my daughter loves to have her daddy read to her. Additionally it covers a wide variety of activities that parents might engage in with their children. The only thing that struck me funny is that the illustrations for the Daddies version indicate that dads are fancier/do things better. It's not a criticism, just funny. The daddy makes a grand cake, and the mommy is slopping stuff all over the kitchen. In another scene, the daddy is trimming a topiary, and the mommy is hoeing in a corn field. But regardless, a unique book that caters to parents' situations.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Mommies/Daddies do Best, November 4, 2004

By	Bonnie Sayers "autismfamily" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Two books in one showing parenting is universal. My seven-year old after reading a few times What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best can now breeze through it so much so that I feel it is more rote reading than mastering reading fluency. This is a bit too easy for him, but I liked the book for showing how Mommies and Daddies can do the same things, if they are so inclined to do so. My son learned to pronounce Mommies and Daddies very clearly by continuing to read this book and he does not sound monotone now.

My son also liked to go back and forth between sides to see how the other parent handled that particular page. The changing of the animals kept the imagination going and predicting which would next appear when he first started reading What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best. Each book consists of seventeen pages although they are not numbered.

The section entitled, What Daddies Do Best starts off with the same text as What Mommies Do Best, with the only differences being the animals and illustrations to suit the gender. For example the Mommy was on a bicycle pedaling up the hill with the child behind on a smaller bike. When we get to What Daddies Do Best the Daddy is pushing the kid on the bike. Their cake is quite a masterpiece with them both donning the white bakers' hats with a four tiered cake decorated in pink and blue icing.

This winning combination of author and illustrator shows how equally either parent can do something that still helps the child feel special and loved. They are different but the love for the child shines through in their role as parents in all that they do.

For those that have spouses with a sense of humor this would be an ideal book for Father's Day, without letting on the other side is all about What Mommies Do Best. The reading level would be about five to seven with the interest for kids from toddlers through elementary age.