The Good Little Girl and Barbie

When I had my girls I decided to take a break from my job and go back when they went to Kindergarten. Well since then, I've become self-employed and I've been busy with deadlines, especially this past week. Consequently, I've unleashed a demon. BARBIE DVDS. (I don't know how to make those words look like they're dripping in blood or I would to show you how terrible I think they are.)

It started innocently enough... a rushed trip to the video store... and there they were, a rack full of Barbie video's like this one:

These stick thin computer animatrons are just so far from anything real and good in this world. Despite the gooey princess fairy sparkle rainbow evil merchandising to children, my girls have been literally crying to see more Barbie movies.

What Pandora's Box have I opened ????????

However, for every parenting dilemma there's a picture book to tell us something important and I've found answers in The Good Little Girl by Lawrence David with illustrations by Clement Oubrerie. This book just might fit into MotherReader's WAPB (Weird- Ass Picture Book) category. Oubrerie's pictures painted in acrylics are vibrant and super silly.

The good little girl, Miranda, decides she will be patient no more. She's tired of worn out promises. Her parents come home from work late and fall asleep on the sofa. Miranda has to put herself to sleep without a story. In the morning it's not Miranda who wakes up but Lucretia, a green monster who has captured Miranda and demands her parents do what she wills or they will never see their sweet daughter again. It's very funny because Lucretia takes it to the extreme even punishing her parents for their past neglect by making Dad shave his head and Mom dye her hair blue. In the end Lucretia gets smaller and smaller until she is just a little green, mean monster inside Miranda's head.

"We're just glad she's gone, " Dad said. "We certainly are," Mom said. "It's awful having such a bossy, tough child when we're used to having such a good little girl." Miranda put her hands on her hips. "Sometimes a good little girl might have to be a little bossy and tough," she said. "Or she might not get what she really needs." ... One hour later, Mom, Dad and Miranda sat on the porch swing. Mom and Dad read Miranda a story, taking turns with the voices. Lucretia sat up inside Miranda's head. She peered out through Miranda's eyes to see the pictures in the book.

So lessons here are two-fold. Parents, make time for your children! Good Little Girls, find the courage to express yourself and get what you need. And I'm needing to ban the Barbie videos!