OLIVER’S MUST-DO LIST

Cobwebs, dishes and shopping will wait—children will only be children for a short while. Oliver wants nothing more than for his mother to play with him. But her “Must-Do List,” posted on the refrigerator, is a mile long. Oliver spends his day telling knock-knock jokes to his mirror, racing his kitchen chair car against no one, building a fort that keeps collapsing and trying to find the Big Dipper. His stuffed toys and dog echo his emotions and activities, but it is just not the same as playing with his mother. Oliver’s solution is to post his own Must-Do List on top of his mother’s. The best part is that they do it all, and with a flair that only a parent still in touch with their inner child can accomplish. Sullivan’s adorable rhinos have wonderful facial expressions. Unfortunately, much of it gets lost in the crowded illustrations. Too much detail and too much activity leave readers without a focus. Still, a heartwarmer with a message that many a busy parent should heed. (Picture book. 4-8)