I Want to Be a Vase

“I love this strange and brilliant book, which made me identify with a toilet plunger.”
—Mindy Kaling, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“If I were a book, I’d want to be the I Want to Be a Vase book! Funny, charming, and a great read-aloud for kids of any age!”
—Melissa de la Cruz, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“I’m deeply jealous of all the children who get to read this book. This is my villainous origin.”
—Aidy Bryant, actor, Saturday Night Live and Shrill

“This book is such a delicious feast for the eyes. It makes me want to be a refrigerator so I can store the leftovers!”
—Bowen Yang, actor, Saturday Night Live

“This brightly colored picture book by comedian Julio Torres is a feast for the eyes . . . Offbeat and engaging, I Want to be a Vase encourages kids to follow their dreams no matter their size, shape, or what the world has predetermined they should be.”

* "A toilet plunger yearns to be a vase in Torres’s moving object lesson of identity and purpose. . . . It’s a thoughtful and broadly applicable fable with saturated, 3-D-style art by Glander, which takes readers throughout the house."

"Luminous, eye-catching 3-D illustrations appear like stills of stop-motion animation, treating perspectives of the household objects like people. For the right age group, this is a hilarious read-aloud that begs for strong voice ­performance for each character’s distinct personality. . . . An enthusiastic dialogue between vividly rendered household objects ultimately triggers sincere affirmation about being whatever you want to be."

"The premise is odd but comical and certainly original; children will giggle contemplating different uses for everyday gadgets. Kids are great at pretending and playing imaginative games, so they won’t have trouble buying into the whimsy on offer. They’ll appreciate the reassuring, empowering message to be who you are if that makes you happy, and the collaboration and acceptance themes will resonate. The colorful digital illustrations, featuring dollhouselike miniatures representing common household goods, are very appealing. . . . Great for stimulating creative thinking and art activities: What else can ordinary objects be?"