cover image I Am So Handsome

I Am So Handsome

Mario Ramos, trans. from the French by Jean Anderson. Gecko Press USA (Lerner, dist.), $17.95 (28p) ISBN 978-1-877579-19-6

The bigheaded wolf from I Am So Strong still hasn’t learned the art of humility. Following the format of the first book, intimidated fairy tale characters like Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs only bolster the wolf’s self-regard: “You’re wonderful! You shine like a thousand stars,” say the “trembling” pigs. Ramos uses thick layers of paint and heavy black outlines in his engaging pictures, while building readers’ expectation through the wolf’s increasingly pompous inflections. A cute but hasty finale involving the fire-breathing baby dragon from the previous book falls a tad flat. Ages 4–up. (Sept.)