A relative sent me a screen shot of an image from the New York Times that included Too Early as a prop (one of a stack of books on a desk). I was tickled pink! So imagine my excitement when the next day Too Early was more than just a prop, it was actually reviewed by Rowboat Watkins for The New York Times Review of Books! I could hardly believe it, to be honest. I still can hardly believe it! It was a wonderful review as well. One of my favorite bits is when Rowboat refers to the opening spread, where the bunny-toting early riser appears in his parents’ bedroom door “as adorable as it is horrifying.” That made me laugh. When he comments that “there’s a wide world of wonder burbling and beeping within life’s blueberry shadows” you can really tell what a great writer Rowboat himself is! (His picture book, Pete With No Pants, is one of my own kids’ favorite!) Rowboat also has other lovely things to say about Too Early, including this conclusion: “Ericson’s simple sentences, loose rhyme and playful repetitions pulse with the whiffs and whispers of that part of morning most of us miss. And MacKay’s sherbety paintings are the pitch-perfect, predawn partner for this paean to quality quiet time with someone you love.” I couldn’t have asked for a better review, and I’m pretty sure seeing that spread in the The New York Times Boo Review will remain a highlight of my writing career:) If you want to read the whole article, you can find it here, though you may need to be a subscriber (or have not used too many free guest articles already this month) to see it.
