Parents' Guide to

Pink Me Up

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Dad's a really good sport in this fun father-daughter tale.

Book Charise Mericle Harper Emotions 2010
Pink Me Up Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

When Mama breaks out in spots and can’t go to a pink party, Violet wails that it’s the worst day ever. Her daddy offers to take her, but Violet sees a big problem: Boys are not pink! Her father is a good sport, however, and lets Violet outfit him appropriately for a celebration of all things pink -- inspiring the other girls to get to work on their own dads at home.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Kids don’t need to love the color pink to enjoy this sweet story -- but it sure helps. Violet is immediately empathetic, both in her excitement for the Pink Girls Pink-nik and her devastation when it looks like her plans are ruined. Her father's patience with her disappointment, and his willingness to set dignity aside and turn the misadventure into a creative celebration, is a terrific example for families. Rather than make the hard case that boys can like pink just as much as girls, Charice Mericle Harper finds a way for the pink and the not-so-pink to happily share some common ground.

Wide-eyed, buck-toothed rabbits bound through cartoon pages decorated with just the right amount of pink.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about making the best of a situation. Violet isn’t sure the day can be saved, but it proves to be a wonderful day after all. Have you been disappointed when plans changed, but ended up having more fun than you expected? Do you think Violet had even more fun with a pinked-up father than she might have with her mother?

  • Violet dreams of pinking up everything. What would you want to pink up?

  • Plan your own pink-nik -- perhaps with a special invitation to pinked-up fathers!

Book Details

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