Children the world over share some common loves. Chicken nuggets and french fries. Bipedal talking livestock. And let’s add one more–Butts. The first time I used the word “butt” with one of my sons, he giggled uncontrollably repeating the word to himself for the rest of the day. It was as if it were hardwired in his brain, somewhere between “Mama” and “More“. Of course it is not the most productive concept to be able to identify the derrière of every living and inanimate object on the planet. Many parents understandably choose to shoosh the behavior altogether. Now there is a place to channel all that untamed observational skill. Children’s author Artie Bennett has captured all-things-butt in his charming children’s book, The Butt Book.
As a parent, I was immediately struck by the kinetic, engaging illustrations provided by Mike Lester. But as I’ve learned in the past, colorful artwork alone doesn’t guarantee a child’s interest. Fortunately, the story in The Butt Book is just as engaging. The rhyming narrative is well-formed and sets a good rhythm for parents to follow. It delves into the who, what, and why of butts without sinking into anything close to offensive.
In our field test, our twin three year old boys sat fascinated. They jabbed at the illustrations, and laughed at the animated storytelling. They giggled together repeating the word, “Butt!” between one another. They sneak this book off the bookshelf to read it to themselves. The Butt Book reminds us what a good children’s book can do–tap into a child’s interest without ever seeming like it is coming from the adult world. This has quickly become one of their favorite books, and I suspect will become the same for many others.
