Children's Book About Plastic Surgery

Out this Mother's Day is a new children's book on the somewhat controversial subject of cosmetic surgery, "My Beautiful Mommy" (Big Tent Books).

This delightful picture book for children features a perky explaining her upcoming plastic surgery to her child. The mother is getting a nose job and a tummy tuck with the help of superhero-esque Dr. Michael, with the inevitable happy ending:

The little girl is delighted at her new and "more beautiful" mother.

The book describes post-pregnancy body fat, although it is unclear why she's also getting a nose job. She reassures her daughter that it will not be "different, my dear - prettier!"

A 29-year-old mother, Gabriela Acosta, was shown the book by her son. She had been overweight, but lost the weight, leaving sagging and shriveled skin behind because it was so stretched.

After reading the book, she was won over and decided to go for the surgery to change her appearance. She said she liked the book because it showed her young son that the surgery was exciting, rather than scary.

"I didn't want him to think [the surgery] was because I was hurting. It was to make me feel good", she says.

It made her son excited and he was seemingly proud and mentioned it at a party.

"Did you see her new belly button? It's so pretty!" he said about his mother.

Some surgeons are a bit apprehensive about recommending it to patients, because it will explains the procedures, but the illustrations appear similar to Barbie dolls. One surgeon said that the ending Mother looked extremely over-done, especially her breasts, when many mothers only wanted restoration.

Why would they write a book like this?

Apparently, 348,000 breast implants are performed last year, six percent more than 2006. 148,000 tummy tucks were performed last year, as well, which is about 1% more than 2006.

Could this be because of our celebrity/perfection obsessed culture?

Some people believe it is good because parents will often go into denial about the procedure and ignore their children's questions. Others disagree, saying that plastic surgery should not be glorified and because it is not worth surgical procedures to change your body.