Hot on the heels of her first solo effort, No Haircut Today!
, Savadier has come up with another winner. The only one who's going to dress little Solomon is Solomon himself. "Me!
" shouts the toddler whenever Daddy tries to help with an article of clothing. Solomon dresses with ingenuity as well as determination: when he can't get his pants on his chubby legs, he puts them on his head. As an alternative to inserting a foot into a sock, he slides it onto his hand, mitten-style. But with the minutes ticking away ("the big hand is on the six
and the little hand is on the seven
..."), Daddy can play this game, too, and with a cry of "Me!
" the parent manages to get Solomon dressed for breakfast—where another comic battle of wills gets underway. Savadier's pictures and dialogue once again showcase a gift for economy and humor, while key words (e.g., socks, shoes) appear in bold, crisp type. Her two-man cast is inspired: Daddy, a well-upholstered man with thinning hair and patience, is every bit as funny in his contortions and expressions as his stubborn offspring (with a similarly underdeveloped pate). Savadier's watercolor-and-ink drawings exude the same elegant fluidity as in her previous book, but the work feels tighter here, her observations more firmly tethered to domestic reality. Readers' laughs will be just as abundant as the glee of Solomon's final, cereal-soaked triumph. Ages 1-4. (Apr.)
