Are You Eating Candy Without Me?

PreS-Gr 3--A sweet and sassy picture book asks the question every kid is dying to have their caregivers answer: "Are you eating candy without me?!" Malesevic and Bruijn imagine a world where parents, as soon as they are alone, break every rule on the planet. The book has charm, and the candy-coated cover has a lot of appeal. Brujin's colorful artwork shines. However, the humor of the story is muddied and far too mild, as if the author is afraid to really show adults behaving badly; attending fancy parties, climbing trees, and dressing up in bright costumes and pretending they are in a play isn't really a violation of the rules. It could be that parents are actually no worse than the mischievous children in their charge. VERDICT This additional purchase is a lighthearted look at what parents might be doing when the kids are away--and yes, they're probably eating the candy.--Shannon O'Connor, Unami M.S., Chalfont, PA

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Childhood is a time fraught with questions: Why is the sky blue? Why is grass green? What do grown-ups do when kids aren't around? In this whimsical flight of fancy, four children—diverse in racial presentation and family type—seek answers to questions of their own. The children's initial questions revolve around how the adults behave at home and work when the children are not present. They ask: "What do you do without me?" and "Do all the rules still apply when I'm not home?" and "Do you tell other people what to do?"—a question hilariously paired with an image of one child's mom telling a man not to pick his nose. The next round of questions express concern that the grown-ups are having childlike fun without them, including the obvious query, "Do you go to fancy parties with ice cream, cake, and ponies?" This ultimately leads to the most important question of all: "ARE YOU EATING CANDY WITHOUT ME?!?!?" The playful illustrations are bright and appropriately candy-colored. They vary among busy but never overwhelming full-bleed, double-page spreads and large comic-book-like panels incorporating images, text, and speech bubbles. The font is large, which makes it excellent for trailing with a finger for a read-along. Inviting both conversation and giggles, this tale will work well as a lap read or bedtime book.

A book as sweet as the candy that fills its pages. - Kirkus Reviews