SMALL ANIMALS Parenthood in the Age of Fear

Author Kim Brooks's moving narration is the perfect vehicle for the drama surrounding her arrest for a momentary lapse in judgment--leaving her 4-year-old son in a locked car while she ran into a Virginia store. She weaves this experience into the broader story of how the culture of American parenting--competitive, anxious, judgmental--has come to impact everything we do as parents. When did we begin scrutinizing every aspect of parenting? From breastfeeding to unsupervised neighborhood walks and school choice, everything is judged and increasingly prosecuted. Although the legal peril she faced is but one instance of this tension, Brooks's lyrical writing and largely dispassionate narration will draw parents into this larger dynamic and restore their freedom to do what they believe is best as parents. T.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2019]