Imogene's Antlers
By David Small
The Story
A little girl wakes up one Thursday with a full set of antlers growing out of her head, and while the doctor and school principal panic, the cook and kitchen maid find surprising uses for them.
Why It's Special
For the kid who thinks the strangest possible thing happening before breakfast sounds like a great Thursday, Imogene's Antlers turns a household upside down with total deadpan calm.
- Big idea: The people who freak out about a problem usually aren't the ones who solve it — sometimes it just takes someone willing to hang wreaths on your antlers.
- Vibes: Absurd, dry, and quietly delighted with itself
Perfect For Kids Who
- enjoy absurd, unexplainable situations
- like to imagine strange things happening to their own body
- respond well to deadpan humor and a family who mostly just copes
- love a story with a surprise ending
Ask Your Little Reader
- Story & problem-solving: What did the cook and the kitchen maid do with Imogene's antlers that the doctor and principal never thought of?
- Feelings & empathy: How do you think Imogene felt when nobody could explain what was happening to her?
- Imagination: If you woke up with antlers tomorrow, what would you want to hang on them?
- Real-life connection: Has something strange or surprising ever happened to you that grown-ups couldn't explain?
- Predicting: What do you think Imogene will find when she comes down to breakfast the next morning?
