My Beautiful Mommy is a book written by a doctor with the intention of making a parent’s plastic surgery less stressful for children. That seems like a pretty noble goal, but I can’t help wondering if the book is simply setting the kids up for more stress and anxiety down the road. If Mommy “needs” cosmetic surgery to feel beautiful, it stands to reason her kids may someday feel that way about themselves, too.

But, there are plenty of people who disagree and think My Beautiful Mommy is the answer to their prays. I remember when I first moved to Los Angeles, I was acquainted with an almost-30 year old woman who was anxious to get pregnant not for the joy of bringing a child into the world but because of the breast implants her husband promised to get her after she had a kid. I haven’t seen her in years, but I imagine she would love this book. Perhaps it’s just a matter of perspective, but I think of My Beautiful Mommy as the start of self esteem nightmares. At any rate, here are some differing views about My Beautiful Mommy:

• Newsweek: Mommy 2.0
• Jezebel: My Beautiful Mommy Teaches Kids Why Mommy’s Face is Suddenly “Prettier”
• CBC News: Critics lambaste kids book on plastic surgery
• The Ampersand: My Beautiful Mommy and other must-have children’s books
• EW.com: My beautiful, scarring-me-forever mommy?
• 23/6: My Beautiful Mommy Is the Best Children’s Book About Plastic Surgery I’ve Ever Read