My Mommy’s Tote by P. H. Hanson (amazon)
Thankfully my children are too young to be walking around, grabbing my purse, and emptying the contents on the floor. If your children are old enough that you fear for your personal possessions, My Mommy’s Tote may serve as a simulacrum of your handbag. This board book in the shape of a tote contains tons of flaps to lift and objects to manipulate, including a handkerchief, white board, wallet, keyring, and more. I liked the look of the book, but the story aspect was a little thin. The child narrator basically says many complementary things about his/her mom and how she’s “Just like me!” Touches of humor include a button on the tote proclaiming “No Whining” and there are issues surrounding missing socks and cookies.
But the main point of the book is the design, which does replicate the many things one might carry in a tote bag with a whimsical style. I imagine a kid would enjoy all the different objects to manipulate in My Mommy’s Tote, and I heartily approve of the fact that the Mom in the book carries her knitting along with with all of her other stuff. The book is recommended for ages 3+.
A review copy was provided by the publisher.