I was blown away by this book. Simple, everyday living by a local parapalegic, living in my own neighborhood. It is told with honesty, dignity and self deprecating humor.
There is something wrong with you if you do not laugh aloud at this book. No beginning reader books have more ingenious, subversive dissonance between words and pictures.
As her parents shower her with love and gifts Constance complains, "I am locked up in an evil mansion. It's my parent house. They are terrible people-unfair and mean." Of course Constance's "only friend" is her "adorable little cat" Tiny who is in fact as big as a hippo. Together they make a run for it but are "hauled back' by "a couple of bandits" their parents hire (police officers).
Nevertheless, her mean parents continue in their quest to separate the dear, sweet friends in the second book as they decide to send Constance off to "prison" (boarding school for difficult children). Once again Constance hatches a master plan to thwart the evil will of her parents and reunite with her darling little kitty by being positively perfect in every way.
Witty and ironic these two books are a mischievous (and rather ungrateful) kids-eye view of her parents desperately trying to raise their daughter in a home filled with love, affection and just a wee bit of discipline. They are fantastic read-alouds for a family to bring humor and perspective into the day to day tug-o'-wars of life with children. Best of all is to have your child read this to you; we are pretty sure they will find the right tone for biggest laughs!
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