School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-Redheaded Henry is the poster child for overprotected kids. Not only does he have "helicopter" parents, he also has a hovering brother and sister. They feed him, dress him, and even offer to brush his "widdle toofers." The capable boy has had enough and tells them so: "I can do it myself!" And he does. Henry arranges his own playdate with next door neighbor Gibson. The boys frolic with great freedom all day, never noticing the watchful eyes trained on them. Henry's newfound self-sufficiency causes his family to fall into a state of listless boredom, but soon they remember some of the things they enjoyed before Henry became their sole focus. They begin to paint, type, waltz, wallpaper, and tap dance. After readying himself for bed, Henry discovers there is still one thing he needs help with. They happily comply with his request to be tucked in and the family achieves some balance. The illustrations, graphite drawings painted in gouache, are colorful and expressively amusing. Text appears in various places on the pages and an enlarged font is used occasionally for emphasis. VERDICT This charming story will resonate with children beginning to assert their independence.-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Henry's family is so obsessed with infantilizing its youngest member, "their little redheaded Henry," that they even vie for who gets to brush what Mama insists on calling his "widdle toofers." Fed up, Henry expertly handles his own dental hygiene, chooses his own clothes (after carefully and comically weighing his options), and goes off to a play with his friend next door-and a new era is born. Valentine's (George in the Dark) cleverly composed cartooning slyly portrays how a skewed domestic dynamic rights itself. Henry's family members exude anxiety about their shifting roles, while Henry's confident stride and straight-on gaze speak to a sturdy sense of self. From start to finish, it's an irresistible story for the target audience: Henry's assertiveness results in an epic play date, as Urban's (Mouse Was Mad) terrific text elaborates ("They teeter-totted and monkey-barred and triumphed gloriously on the battlefield"), and his family is still at his beck and call at bedtime. Who says you can't have it all? Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Poor Henry! Everyone in his family, from his doting parents to his adoring older siblings, loves him so much that they do not let him do a thing for himself. They make all his meals, pick out his clothes, and tote him around. Henry is sick of it, but his family is resistant to his attempts at independence. They fall over each other with cries of "Let me!" when Henry wants to make his own meal, brush his own "widdle toofers," dress himself, or make plans to play with best buddy Gibson. The text, with the parents talking in baby talk while Henry shows his competence, is a laugh-out-loud riff on "The Little Red Hen." "'No, thank you,' said Henry. 'I can do it myself.' And he did." Valentine's droll graphite and gouache cartoon drawings of bespectacled, redheaded Henry are irresistible, starting on the opening endpapers, where Henry is being readied for a ride in a wagon. Next we see a frowning Henry, now too-carefully dressed in helmet, knee and arm pads, andlife jacket. Henry's disdain grows as the pages turn: hands on hips, dressed in his footie pajamas like a toddler, Henry looks to be about as put out as a big boy can be. It takes awhile, but soon the family finds that there is more to life than tending to Henry's every need. Empty nesters, helicopter parents and siblings, and independent little ones will chuckle in recognition. robin smith (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A picture book about a youngest child who wants to grow up...but the rest of the family isn't ready to let him.Little redheaded Henry is the adored baby of the family. Mama, Papa, sister Mem and brother Sven all can't do enough for him. They cart him and coddle him and dote on himbut "[f]rankly, little redheaded Henry [is] sick of it." When Henry insists on doing for himself, the family is at loose endsuntil they rediscover long-neglected personal creative interests that foster healthier familial bonds. Striking a balance between lively and atmospheric, Valentine's illustrations lend a depth to the lighthearted story of cosseted Henry's insistence on independence. Her design sense is sophisticatedvignettes are used to great advantage to show movement and time passing, and gutters are expertly utilized in double-page spreads to underscore division. Additionally, readers' eyes are skillfully navigated through each illustration and to the page turn. Urban's narrative tone matches the illustrative tone in its sophistication. Relatively complicated sentence structures are combined with simple ones, and the result is an energetic textalthough the rule of three is applied with perhaps a bit too much regularity. A story that humorously but gently reminds overprotective families that it is natural and necessary and healthy for a child to learn to do for himself. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
