CHLOE, INSTEAD
by MICAH PLAYER
Those with younger sibling experience have all been there – getting all fingers-cross-y that the round mound inside mummy’s tummy is a carbon copy to share in all that you yourself find fanciful. But a funny thing happened on the way home from the hospital; that new baby ain’t at all like a twin. In fact, the newb is often the South pole to your North. This realization, the frustration that shortly follows, and the Hollywood ending not all get to enjoy, is exactly the currency Chloe, Instead trades in.
Player’s pictures are sharp, his text quick and pointed, and the outcome happy. His boldly illustrated debut for Chronicle Books is a delightful read and reread, especially for those who’ve walked a mile or so in Chloe’s fancy red shoes. For the studious Bear and the more, um, non-stop Mouse, this hardback is a rainbow striped mirror.
Quick post-script: I told the Bear that I had written this review and she made a face, the kind that tells a parent something is askew. She asked if I said that I liked the book to which I replied yes. To which the Bear offered up that while she too thinks it is a fun book she is rather bothered by the sisters’ initial meanness towards each other. I had to explain that not all siblings get along and that she and Mouse (and the Mrs. and I) are extremely fortunate in that they do even though there are differences in their personalities a la Chloe and her big sis. Always teachin’, people.
Sunny kindie rocker Lucky Diaz, friend of author/illustrator Micah Player, performs the “Chloe, Instead” song used in the book’s snappy trailer. Enjoy:
Download the free, fun Chloe, Instead activity pack which includes games, bookmarks, and more.
*A copy of “Chloe, Instead” was provided to OWTK for review consideration. The opinions expressed above are honest and unbiased, as always.
