Sheena KnowlesEdwina the Emu

My daughter loves Edward the Emu so we had to add this to her library! Colorful illustrations.

Edwina the Emu is a fantastic book that explores themes of early parenting, the working class, and gender roles in the 21st century. Although it appears to be a children's book, there is a lot to unpack in social commentary. After an unexpected pregnancy, Edwina encourages Edward to stay at home with the eggs while she pursues career options. Edwina finds a job posting for ballet dancing in the newspaper. It is of note that she finds this antiquated gender role in a form of dead media. After being body shamed by the casting director, Edwina stands up for herself proclaiming she will find a job one way or another. This first job provides heavy handed commentary of the current state of affairs in Hollywood and the Me Too Movement. Refusing to conform to an unhealthy body image, Edwina is forced to take up a job performing manual labor as a chimney sweep. The position of chimney sweep is a brilliant form of ironic symbolism. We find Edwina (who set out to break the glass ceiling), ironically forced into a confined space (box) and is lowered through a literal ceiling. After attempting a job as a waiter, Edwina encounters another misogynist man in the form of a restaurant patron. The man boasts about eating eggs in Edwina's presence sending her fleeing home. This scene is the greatest point driven home in the story as it reflects on modern day consumerism and plays on the fears of raising children in modern and turbulent times. This job is indicative of modern day career oriented women being forced to neglect their children, sacrificing them in order to find a fulfilling career. After hailing a cab, she has an epiphany and decides to be a stay at home mother. While at first this subversion of expectations seems to be counterproductive to the 5th wave feminist cause, it is in reality a woman making a choice to do what makes her happy. Naming the last of their babies Yeek (which is a reoccurring theme in Edwina's being shunned and discriminated against) is a clever biting of the thumb to societal norms. I enjoyed this book in its entirety and implore all to read it. Also, it rhymed, and that's cool.

Illustrations were amazing

Bought this to read to my granddaughter because we loved Edward the Emu. But very disappointed to discover the very sexist message at the end of this sequel. After Edward and Edwina produce a large number of hatchlings to feed, Edwina sets out to find a job to support them all. But when she discovers she is not suited for any of them, she heads back to the next to care for her babies and embraces the role. Meanwhile, Edward has discovered how difficult being a mother is. Edwina takes over and tells him to pull up a chair and take it easy. What??I don't think this message is one that many mothers and grandmothers want to give to their little girls. The writing sings and illustrations are gorgeous, as in the first book. But they are wasted on the message. I won't be reading it to my granddaughter again. Too late to return and I wouldn't give it to anyone else. So will likely chuck it. Don't get me wrong, I think good mothers are essential for children, families, and the global culture. But this book is unlikely to appeal to most women today, who seek a more balanced lifestyle that meets their needs as well as their family's.

I love that I was able to find this book. The seller did a good job of getting it to me on time.

Love this sequel to Edward the Emu. Charming characters

I love this book! I've given it as gifts to young children on multiple occasions and each child loved the book. The parents even commented on it being a fun book to read to their little ones. I usually give it as a set with the book Edward the Emu. I have a friend with emu's so I also included an emptied emu egg with each book. The egg was a big hit!

You can never go wrong with Edward the Emu and now Edwina enters his life... things will never be the same! As a teacher I love these books and give them as gifts often as well!

Fantastic new book have just sent it to my granddaughter She will love it

Written in rhyme, this is an enjoyable tale of an emu looking for her role in life!

Loved Edward the Emu? You should like this too. Edwina is one cool chick. This is a really lovely book to read to children!

fantastic illustrations great book

Disappointing! Not nearly as good as Edward the Emu.