I'm Not Cute!

Baby Owl goes for a walk in the woods. All the animals think that he is cute. This infuriates him as he wants to be recognised as a sleek and powerful hunting and killing machine. Mummy Owl pacifies him by agreeing that he is indeed the predator that he wants to be but Baby Owl then protests and shouts that he wants to be a cute baby. This story of irrational tantrums will no doubt resonate with parents who have experienced the ‘terrible twos’. The bold, linear cartoon-like illustrations fit well with the levity of the text. However, the sense of humour is clearly pitched for the adult reading the book rather than for the pre-school child to whom it is being read. This issue notwithstanding, I’m not Cute! is perfectly conceived and executed. First published in picture book format.