Mommy's New Friend
by Shelley Tougas (Author) Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
When That Guy comes over and makes homemade pizza for dinner, it’s not the same as before, when Daddy and Mommy and I would all eat together.
But That Guy takes care of Mommy when she’s sick, and That Guy laughs at my jokes.
Maybe, That Guy isn’t that bad, after all.
Shelley Tougas and award-winning illustrator Sara Palacios' Mommy's New Friend is a gentle and uplifting tale about growing up, learning new perspectives, and accepting how blended families can evolve and expand.
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Publishers Weekly
In this lighthearted exploration of a parent's bonding with a new partner, Tougas (Finders Keepers) focuses on the situation's can'ts and cans, beginning with an early-days introduction: "When That Guy picks up Mommy for a date... you can't stick out your tongue.... But you can fake smile and high-five." Digitally finished mixed-media spreads from Palacios (Hopefully the Scarecrow) quickly establish the brown-skinned protagonists--impish Lily, expressive Mommy, and That Guy, who wears a gentle smile. As fits and starts with the new partner slowly result in a burgeoning familial relationship, Lily's trips to pale-skinned Daddy's house add another close bond to the mix. An underexplored incident around Lily's learning that "You can't say he is the guy who picks up your garbage" raises more questions than answers. But the adults work hard at relationship-building, as when Daddy tells Lily that "That Guy seems like a nice guy." And eventually, with patience and humor--and all three adults cheering on Lily's science fair rocket project--"That Guy" becomes a beloved member of the family, a beat that gives the story a layered rom-com sensibility. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Susan Hawk, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator's agent: Minju Chang and Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary. (Feb.)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"[A] lighthearted exploration of a parent's bonding with a new partner. With patience and humor..."That Guy" becomes a beloved member of the family." — Publishers Weekly
Shelley Tougas writes fiction and nonfiction for kids, including the award-winning titles Little Rock Girl 1957, Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life, and A Patron Saint for Junior Bridesmaids. Mommy's New Friend is her first picture book. Shelley also works at a library where she actually gets paid to read books to kids, host teddy-bear brunches, create book-character crafts, and play hide-and-seek. It's the best job in the world.
Sara Palacios is the illustrator of many books for children. She is also the recipient of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor for her work on Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match and the Américas Award for Between Us and Abuela. She earned her BFA and MFA degrees in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV013020 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Marriage & Divorce
