“Plastic Makes Perfect”:<i>My Beautiful Mommy</i>, Cosmetic Surgery, and the Medicalization of Motherhood

Abstract

Perhaps more than any other genre of children’s literature, picture books have been in the spotlight of late. Intended for the youngest and thus seemingly most innocent of child readers, they have also historically been associated with the most innocent of subject matters. In stark contrast to narratives for young adults that have become famous for their engagement with mature issues like drugs, divorce, and sexuality; picture books have commonly been connected with more lighthearted subject matter. In classic titles like The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), Goodnight Moon (1947), and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969), the gravest adventures involve mischievously nibbling on some carrots in a forbidden garden, not wanting to go to bed, and being preoccupied by an array of different delicious foods. During the final few decades of the twentieth century, the traditionally innocuous subject matter of picture books begun to change. In the wake of growing societal beliefs that adults ought to be more honest and open with children, new narratives appeared that discussed topics which had previously been overlooked, ignored, or even forbidden. From the serious subject of same-sex parenting in Heather Has Two Mommies (1989) and Daddy’s Roommate (1991) to the humorous issue of bodily functions inEveryone Poops (1993, English language version) and Walter, the Farting Dog (2001), these books pushed the boundaries of the genre in new and even daring directions. In the years since, the range and variety of picture books meant to address formerly off-limits subject matter has only increased. In 2005, for example, Anne-Marie Gillet and Isabelle