Mother's Day, 2003
The following reviews were presented in our 2003 Mother's Day feature.
Reviews
31 Uses for a Mom
Harriet Ziefert
Illustrated by Rebecca Doughty
Mothers serve in many roles each day. Thirty-one single words or simple phrases have been selected and given a simple cartoon-style drawing to illustrate its meaning. For example, #1 (clock) shows a mother standing at the open door and a child heading out to the waiting school bus. She is also #10 (encyclopedia), #15 (fixer-upper) and finally #31 (friend). All moms will smile at this list, and children may even develop a better appreciation of how mothers help them all day long. In a classroom, a teacher could have each student select one and write how his or her mother fits that descriptor. The humorous illustrations extend the age range for the book. The skinny arms and legs and slightly curved lines that create the mouths seem just right here. Mothers and their children will enjoy sharing this together. 2003, GP Putnam's Sons, Ages 5 to 9, $12.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-399-23862-X
At the End of Words: A Daughter's Memoir
Miriam Stone
Losing a parent, especially you mother, is difficult no matter what your age. For Miriam Stone, it was particularly difficult because her mother spent years fighting and finally died of breast cancer while Miriam was still a teen. The book, which is dedicated to her mother's memory, is a combination of prose and poetry. It reveals how she felt at different times during the progression of the disease. How sometimes she like others in the family would pretend it wasn't happening or that she shouldn't do anything special to make her mother feel that they knew she wasn't going to survive. I gets more difficult when her mother enters hospice care, but in many ways it draws the family closer together. The book goes beyond the loss of her mother, it deals with life after her mother has died and her reaction at laving the family for college, reading a poignant letter that her mother wrote to her on her first birthday that was given to her on her eighteenth birthday and a realization that life goes one. By the end of the book she is starting a new life as a college student and her dad is dating. It is moving, thought provoking and the poems that speak so much from the heart will be appreciated by many who have or who are going through a similar situation. It may offer solace to the kids in families who are not as close as Stones and let them know that the highs/lows and other changes can be weathered, and that the happy memories of a mother live on as ones life continues and changes. 2003, Candlewick Press Ages 10 up, $14.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-7636-1854-3
Before I Was Your Mother
Kathryn Lasky
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Children are always curious about what their parents were like when they were small. Lasky presents this as a conversation between a mother and her daughter, Katie. She says, "I wasn't always your mother, who knows how to...fix broken things....Once I broke the china cat into a million pieces, and my mother glued it back together perfectly." She talks about the things she did with her best friend, Ruby, and her dog, Eileen. She concludes by saying that when she was little she "dreamed of having her own little girl to love." The actions of the mother-as-little-girl show her as a real person: one who laughed and sang and danced with her best friend, who broke treasured objects and quarreled with her brother. Readers can distinguish between present and past for white background accompanies the current day, while tan tones seem to wash over the reminiscences. The bulldog, Eileen, adds much humor to the illustrations with her expressions. This would work well in a storyhour about mothers or Mother's Day. It just might encourage children who are reading this with their mothers to ask them for stories about their youth. 2003, Harcourt, Ages 3 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-15-201464-0
A Doll Named Dora Anne
Yona Zeldis McDonough
Illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo
For several generations, a porcelain doll made during the Lincoln administration has been passed down in the family. When a girl turns ten she is given custody of the doll. Kate loves to play with the doll whenever she goes to Nana's house. When she turns nine, Nana decides that Kate is old enough to become the new owner and of course she is allowed to select her own name for the doll. Once the doll comes home, Kate's mother isn't so sure that her daughter is ready for the responsibility. Kate rises to the occasion and proves that she is mature beyond her years. Her reward is not only the doll, but also a renewed interest on her mother's part to be more involved with the doll and thus her daughter. It is a very positive story. Kate is almost too good to be believable--the kid everyone wishes they had. Illustrations fill every page and they show an intergenerational family and a girl who, in the times of this story, is at an age when she still cares about dolls. Part of the "All Aboard Reading" series Level 3. 2002, Grosset and Dunlap, Ages 7 to 10, $13.89. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-448-42678-1
ISBN: 0-448-42836-9
Freaky Friday
Mary Rodgers
Annabel Andrews's does not like her mother always telling her what to do. Annabel's perspective changes when she and her mother seemed to have switched bodies on a Friday. Annabel, as the mother, finds out what it is like to deal with the daughter Annabel. After many events and happenings that mother deals with, Annabel realizes how difficult it is to be a parent. She also now understands things about her little brother whom she calls Ape Face. It is a real revelation when she finds how accommodating the brother can be and how fond he is of Annabel. It is indeed a Freaky Friday and one not to be forgotten. Even though the book was first published in 1972, it is still relevant today because family relationships--harmony and strife--always seem to be the same. The characters are realistic and the activities, conversations, and traits of human nature are all believable. 2002 (orig. 1972), Harper Trophy/HarperCollins Publisher, Ages 10 up, $5.99. Reviewer: Naomi Butler
ISBN: 0-06-440046-8
The Gift
Marcia S. Freeman
Illustrations by Patrice Kennedy
From Norway, a young pioneer family of three immigrates to the American prairie to start a new life. Throughout the uncomfortable voyage by ship and the hard work of building a sod house and planting potatoes, Mama sings to lift the spirits of her young daughter and husband. But with the coming of shorter days, bitter cold, and bad news about Grandfather from the Old Country, Mama stops singing and grows sad. Then, as daughter Sonja recounts in this first-person narrative, she and Papa go to town in early spring to sell their produce and knitted goods for supplies. Instead of buying licorice sticks or lace for her dolls as Mama had suggested, Sonja buys her mother a special gift--a canary that has stopped singing. What happens next, when the two who've stopped singing meet each other, is the best gift all--not only for Sonja and her father, but also for any young reader of the book. The illustrator's frequent use of glowing greens and yellows adds an eye-catching luminosity to an already enchanting tale. A satisfying read that will bring a smile to the teacher or librarian who is reading it to a class, who will both learn from and be entertained by The Gift. 2002, Maupin House, Ages 8 to 12, $14.95. Reviewer: Earlene Viano
ISBN: 0-929895-51-7
Happy Mother's Day, Mami!
Adapted by Leslie Valdes
Illustrated by Jason Fruchter
Fans of the television show, Dora the Explorer, will recognize the pattern here. Dora wants to make a special cake for Mother's Day. She must gather the ingredients from the banana grove, the nutty forest and the chocolate tree, and consults the map as to their locations. She speaks directly to the reader as she moves along, introducing her friends as she goes. Readers can learn a few Spanish words including learning to count to six. They can also follow Dora's cue when she says, "Say 'Swiper, no swiping!'" which is a familiar line to the television followers who will see Swiper the fox hiding in the bushes. Computer generated graphics present what appear to be stills from the television cartoon. The interactive approach will engage the preschool set. This is based on the TV series and works better as a cartoon show. 2003, Simon Spotlight/ Nick Jr, Ages 3 to 5, $3.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-689-85233-9
Hooray for Mother's Day
Catherine Lukas
Illustrated by Bernie Cavender
It is Mother's Day and Little Bill has five surprises for his mother because he is five years old. After she has breakfast in bed, he leads her to the living room and lets her know when she gets near her gift. They go outside for the second, upstairs for the third, into the kitchen for the fourth and finally, she must follow the yarn to find the last. Each gift is appropriate for a five-year-old to give his mother: there is a handmade picture frame, a clean bedroom and a hug, to name a few. His mother knows just the right positive thing to say, even when faced with some negativity. The computer generated cartoon illustrations seem to come directly from the television show. Fans of this "Nick Jr." series created by Bill Cosby will receive an important message, that homemade gifts and gifts from the heart are the best. 2003, Simon Spotlight/Nick Jr, Ages 4 to 7, $5.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-689-85241-X
I Love My Mama
Peter Kavanagh
Illustrations by Jane Chapman
A day in the life of a mother and baby elephant described in brief, rhythmic sentences received a thumbs up from my favorite toddler. She enjoyed it enough to request that it be repeated a second time at each sitting. But it didn't rate as highly as ³Mommie's Best Kisses² when she wiggled with glee throughout the reading and insisted on four or five repetitions. The book begins with mama and baby elephant in the morning mist and takes them through storm winds, playing games on the dusty plains, splashing in the river, playing in the sun. Finally, at the end of the day the little elephant says ³Last thing at night we curl in a hug, safe and happy, cozy and snug. And we sink into sleep and dream of new days. My mama's love surrounds me always.² After the first reading, the illustrations drew my toddler to linger over the pages, studying what mama and baby elephant were doing and retelling the story to me. This was published in 2002 in Great Britain by Little Tiger Press with the title ³Love Like This² The author began his career as a designer and computer graphics operator in television. He has both written and illustrated 10 of the 90 books he has had published. Ms. Chapman has illustrated many children's books with animal themes. Bears have been a frequent subject and she does equally well, in this instance, with elephants. 2003, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Ages 1 to 5, $12.95. Reviewer: Janet Crane Barley
ISBN: 0-689-85691-1
I Love You All Day Long
Francesca Rusackas
Illustrated by Priscilla Burris
Owen asks a question familiar to many children before their first day of school, and sometimes for a number of days thereafter: "Do I have to go today, Mommy?" His mother responds in a most reassuring way by telling him he has to go and reminds him, "I love you when I'm with you and I love you when we're apart." She goes through various scenarios of his day's activities commenting on both the positive and negative, "I love you when you make a new friend" and "I love you when you can't wait for a bathroom." In clear simple pictures Owen is seen going through the activities. On the last page Owen is cuddling with his mother while she reads him a bedtime story. This warm and reassuring story handles separation anxiety very well. In addition, there is a classroom full of cute little piggies! 2003, HarperCollins, Ages 2 to 5, $12.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-06-050276-2
ISBN: 0-06-050277-0
I Love You as Much...
Laura Karaus Melmed
Illustrated by Henro Sorensen
The tender connection between mother and child is universal. Here it is warmly expressed in beautiful paintings that spread across two pages. Each features an animal mother and her offspring (a horse and her colt, a bear and her cub, a goose and her gosling, etc.). It ends with a human mother gently urging her little one to go to sleep. The quiet rhyming verse expresses the mother's love for her child and the soft expressive pictures are a visual delight. This children's picture book really makes a nice transition to a board book which comes packed with a heart-shaped picture frame and would be a lovely gift for any new baby. 2003 (orig. 1993), HarperFestival, Ages 1 to 3, $11.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-06-008659-9
Mama, Don't Go Out Tonight
Sally Gardner
Most small children would prefer to have their parents stay with them all the time, and the main character of this book is no exception. Despite the child's most persuasive arguments ("Mama, a giant could take you away and a monster might eat you up"), Mama does indeed go out for the evening, and gradually the little girl learns to have a wonderful time with her babysitter. Gardner's illustrations are absolutely delightful. In fact, the pictures tell a more compelling story than the text. Early on, we hear the child worry that her mother will be kidnapped by pirates; later we see her playing pirate with her babysitter. When we see the child wearing princess dress-ups, dancing with her babysitter, we also see Mama dressed as a princess, dancing in a ballroom dance competition with her partner. The text, though appropriate enough, is made less effective by the lack of dialogue attribution. Without dialogue tags, the story is more awkward to read aloud than it should be. However, for most children, the fun, colorful illustrations will compensate adequately for the minor problems with the story. 2002, Bloomsbury Children's Books, Ages 3 to 6, $16.95. Reviewer: Anne Marie Pace
ISBN: 1-58234-790-5
Mama Mama/Papa Papa Flip Board Book
Jean Marzollo
Illustrated by Laura Regan
Two previously published board books have been combined. Open the book to read Mama Mama but when you come to the upside down pages, flip the book over to read Papa Papa. In Mama Mama, one finds a baby animal cuddling with its mother accompanied by a short rhyming text. A lion cub and its mother nuzzle in the savannah, a baby leopard suckles milk in a rocky cave, a mother monkey helps its little one stay clean among the trees. Toddlers will also see koalas, pandas, elephants, and otters. Papa bird teaches a song to its little ones while Papa beaver teaches its offspring to fell a tree and build a home. The unusual have also been selected here: seahorses, coyotes and swans. Young children will learn a little about animal behavior and habitats. With the two previous titles put together, this may be a bit hefty for toddlers to carry but it is a good lap book for parents to share with their own little ones. 2003 (orig. 1999 and 2000), HarperFestival/HarperCollins, Ages 1 to 3, $6.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-06-051915-0
Mama Played Baseball
David A. Adler
Illustrations by Chris O'Leary
When Amy played catch with her mama, which was most days since her dad went away to fight in the war, she had no idea she was helping her get ready for a new job. Amy's dad had been a milk truck driver, which seemed like a real job. Playing baseball in the women's league seemed like a game, but if mama could get paid doing something she liked it would be great. Grandma and Grandpa went with Amy and her mama to the tryouts. After a missed catch or a bad at bat, many of the women were dismissed. Wow, Mama was good! She made the team and Amy had helped her practice! It was so much fun watching the games. When Mama's team 
traveled, Amy worked on a special project she was saving for her dad, when he finally came home. As a reader, learn how Amy's story ends, while getting a child-sized look at an important time in history, and how it impacts one family. The soothing, warm, oil painted illustrations enhance this engaging tale. 2003, Gulliver Books, Harcourt, Ages 5 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Barbara Kennedy
ISBN: 0-15-202196-5
Mama Played Baseball
David A. Adler
Illustrations by Chris O'Leary
Young Amy tells the story of her mama's baseball career in David Adler's Mama Played Baseball. During WW II, Amy's mama needs a job and decides to try out for the first professional women's league. It is hard for Amy to understand how playing baseball can possibly be a job, but soon she pitches in by helping her mama train. The story's situation has more strength than its characters and the time-specific images, like the Jack Benny show, will mean little to children. The story does reveal the wartime phenomena of women at work and at play on baseball diamonds. Debut artist Chris O'Leary hits a home run with his oils which are pleasantly reminiscent of the Depression-era and carry an energy that the text sometimes lacks.
2003, Harcourt, Ages 6 to 9, $16.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-15-202196-5
Mama Will Be Home Soon
Nancy Minchella
Illustrated by Keiko Narahashi
Mama has to go away for a few days. Her young daughter, Lili, asks, "How will I find you?" Her mother responds, "You'll see my yellow hat." Lili and her grandmother watch as Mama boards the ferry. Lili looks out the window the next morning and sees something yellow. She anticipates that it is her mother but it is only her yellow sundress on the clothesline. They go to the circus, the beach and the park. In each place Lili is certain she sees her Mama's hat only to be disappointed. Finally, they return to the harbor and watch for the ferry. Mama returns home with a special gift for Lili--her own yellow hat. Minchella has captured a child's longing for her mother, the difficulty of understanding the passage of time, and the joy of being reunited. The watercolor illustrations show Grandma and Lili in warm, reassuring poses. Each speck of yellow that Lili sees is drawn in such a way that the reader will anticipate Mama's hat as well. A quietly reassuring story. 2003, Scholastic, Ages 3 to 6, $15.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-439-38491-5
Mommy Loves Her Baby: A Mommy/Daddy Flipbook
Tara Jaye Morrow
Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke
Sometimes it is hard to tell a child how much they are loved. In this charming and colorful book the author shows a child that a mother's love is as much a part of her as the love a fish has for the sea; as much a part of her as the love an eagle has for soaring in the sky; and as much a part of her as the love that a horse has to gallop. A mother's love is something that baby can always reply on. The imagery shifts between the humorous, the tender and the magnificent. Simple rhymes tie these images together, slipping off the tongue easily as the pages are turned. The childlike illustrations make the message of the book all that more intimate and render it more appealing to a small person needing to be reminded that they are much loved. A perfect book for reading out loud just before bedtime, this book would make a wonderful gift for a mother-to-be or for mother's day. When you flfip the book, there is another warm parental story. All too often a father's love is not given its due. In this delightful, colorful picture book, we are reminded that a father's love for his baby is deep and is an essential part of who he is. In fact a daddy loves his baby with the same love that a butterfly likes to fly; with the same love that a cheetah loves to run; and with the same love that birds love to sing. A father's love will always be there. The author also uses humor to describe a father's love saying that it is like the love a llama has to lick and the love a donkey has to kick. Simple rhymes compliment the naïve illustrations and make this a perfect bed-time book. This book would be a wonderful gift for a father-to-be or for father's day. 2003, HarperCollins, Ages 3 to 6, $15.99. Reviewer: Marya Jansen-Gruber
ISBN: 0-06-029077-3
Mommy's Best Kisses
Margaret Anastas
Illustrations by Susan Winter
My favorite toddler gives this book her highest rating with rolling chortles of delight throughout the reading of the book and many choruses of "again" when it is finished. Each two-page spread shows a mother animal with her baby and a sentence about their kiss. For example, Mother Kangaroo tells her baby: "I kiss your five fingers that squeeze mine so tight." It lends itself to the reader kissing the listener as each animal mother does, but even without that interaction, the book delighted my almost-three-year-old listener. She also wanted plenty of time to look at the softly realistic and appealing animal illustrations. The back of the book shows a mother mouse with baby surrounded by the message: "Children need lots of kisses. And mommies kiss them just right." Even so, Grandmas and Daddies can share this book, its loving message and its kisses quite effectively with a special child. 2003, Harper Collins Publishers, Ages 3 to 6, $15.99. Reviewer: Janet Crane Barley
ISBN: 0-06-623601-0
Mother's Day Mess
Karen Gray Ruelle
Harry and Emily want to do something special for their Mom on Mother's Day. They ask her what she gave grandma when she was little. She tells them that she made pictures, grew flowers, cleaned the house and brought her breakfast in bed, but that her mother always said that she didn't need presents because her daughter was her favorite Mother's Day present. Harry and Emily laught t this and get busy. They make plans and some of them even work out. Harry succeeds in growing some flowers; they made a card and prepare some very special pancakes on Mother's Day morning. The latter was quite an undertaking and the pancakes have some unusual ingredients. When it is all ready, they take everything up to mother on a tray. Then disaster strikes, but bravo for Mom who tells they that they are indeed her real presents and kudos to Dad who truly saves the day by taking everyone out for a pancake breakfast, Mom responds by saying "That is my second favorite present." A Level Two reader, grades 1-2. Part of the "Holiday House Readers" series. 2003, Holiday House, Ages 4 to 8, $14.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-8234-1773-5
ISBN: 0-8234-1781-6
A Mud Pie for Mother
Scott Beck
Little Pig sets off across the farm in search of the perfect gift for Mother Pig's birthday. He finds a flower, but the bee needs it to make honey. He finds hay, but the cow needs it for a bed. The shiny seeds he picks up are the hen's food, and the dirt for a mud pie is for the farmer's wife's garden. In each instance Little Pig recognizes the importance of the item to someone else and does not take it. But now his basket is empty. Then as he returns home, each of the animals gives him a gift in gratitude for his not taking what was important to them. In the end, he has bread, eggs, milk, and honey and is able to make Mother Pig a delicious birthday breakfast. It is a wonderful story about being respectful of others and the rewards that can manifest when we are caring and considerate. 2003, Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Putnam, Ages 2 to 6, $14.99. Reviewer: Sarah Seage
ISBN: 0-525-47040-9
My Mommy
Susan Paradis
This whimsical picture book celebrates the love between a mother and daughter, sharing every day activities such as bandaging a scraped knee, bathing, and waking up in the morning. The simple text and illustrations are on opposite pages of each two-page spread. Each illustration includes at least one animal pair participating in similar actions as the mother and daughter, for example when the mother braids her daughter's hair, a mother chimpanzee grooms her infant. A companion book to My Daddy these simple hardback picture books are perfect for families with young children. Preschools and library story hours could use them for the children to create their own pictures or books about the love and bond between parents and children which would be perfect for Father's or Mother's day. The animal pairs illustrations are a delightful and often humorous extension to the text. 2002, Front Street, Ages 1 to 5, $15.95. Reviewer: Wendy Pollock-Gilson
ISBN: 1-886910-73-1
My Mother's Daughter: Four Greek Goddesses Speak
Doris Orgel
Doris Orgel who as a child relished stories of "heroines and splendid goddesses" offers a fresh retelling of the stories of two pairs of mother/daughter goddesses - Leto and Artemis and Demeter and Persephone. Each goddess takes center stage to tell her story in a language that respects the ancient muse but has a more contemporary flow. The stories evoke the strong emotions that define mothers and daughters. These are relationships that are often headstrong, selfish and tumultuous but bound by a love that can "bend immeasurably far, and doesn't break". The story of Persephone carried off to the Underworld by Hades may be more familiar to readers than that of Artemis goddess of wild things and the hunt whose wish was to remain forever a maiden. Both are given a new vitality by Orgel who manages to carry these remote figures forward in time while fostering the strong link to Mount Olympus. References to sexual activity between the gods and goddesses make this more suitable for older readers. 2003, Roaring Books Press, Ages 12 to 14, $24.00 and $13.46. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey
ISBN: 0-7613-1693-0
ISBN: 0-7613-2808-4
Only My Mom and Me
Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke
A little kitten-child relates the seasonal activities mother and child do together. There are three activities listed for each season and they are presented as the poster-board-weight page unfolds on the right hand side. The activities are familiar to children, such as having picnics, ice skating, flying kites, and making sand castles. The warmth and security that pervades the story finds its culmination at the end when the child acknowledges, "We celebrate every day,/ And also each night...I whisper 'I love you.' She whispers, 'Sleep tight.'" The watercolor illustrations clearly show the change of seasons and have special touches, such as the busy little mice who take part in the activities as well. A nice little paperback. 2003, HarperFestival/HarperCollins, Ages 2 to 6, $6.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-694-52585-5
A Present for Mother Bear
Else Holmelund Minarik
Illustrated by Chris Hahner
Little Bear wants to find the perfect present for his mother while Father Bear is making a cake. Wildflowers seem like a good choice. As Little Bear heads out he meets a hen who is unhappy because the wreath is missing from her door. She has a picture frame and suggests a trade. Little Bear accepts and invites her to the party. He meets Owl, Duck, and Cat and makes trades and invites them all to the party. However, Cat's trade is the wreath that Hen lost and now Little Bear has nothing3/4so off he goes to pick more wildflowers. They all come to the party and Mother Bear gets all the gifts and shares kisses all around for the beautiful flowers and the sweet cake. 2002, HarperFestival, Ages 2 to 4, $3.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-694-01711-6
Quack, Daisy, Quack!
Jane Simmons
Simmons's colorfully illustrated book is one in a series of books about Daisy the Duck. This book takes Daisy and her brother Pip on an adventure to their Aunt Lily's home. The first half of the story shows how the loud little ducklings scare everything off that they try to get a close look at. In the middle of the story, the Mama duck and Aunt Lily decide to take the loud ducklings somewhere where their loud ways will not scare anyone off. Unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle, the ducklings get separated from the mother and aunt, to their dismay. Finally in desperation, Daisy lets out a loud, resounding yell, "Mama!" and everything goes quiet. Mama Duck and Aunt Lily find the ducklings, and the story ends with the ducklings sound asleep for a "very, very quiet afternoon." Quack, Daisy, Quack! is an entertaining and colorful book in a series of children's books written by Jane Simmons. In this edition, Daisy the Duck learns a lesson about when it is important to be heard and when it is not. 2002, Little Brown & Company, Ages 4 to 8, $13.95. Reviewer: Alex Engle
ISBN: 0-316-79587-9
A Quilt for Baby
Kim Lewis
As Mother stitches a quilt for her new baby, she talks to Baby of their farm in the English countryside, of the beautiful countryside where "the skies are high and wide," of the animals and their babies, and of Baby's father, the farmer, who will soon return from his day tending the sheep. "This is home," she tells Baby. The lyrical, soothing text will appeal to all little children in need of a quiet story. Lewis's exquisitely detailed, colored-pencil illustrations are done in soft colors, complementing the mood of the story. Each two-page spread contains an illustration depicting a real farm scene as well as an inset of the quilt square representing that scene, all bordered by colorful checkered gingham. The last two spreads show Baby wrapped in his quilt, a symbol of comfort and of Mother's love. A truly lovely book, this one will be cherished by small children and those who love reading to them. 2002, Candlewick Press, Ages 3 to 7, $15.99. Reviewer: Anne Marie Pace
ISBN 0-7636-1925-6
Read Me a Story
Rosemary Wells
Illustrated by Jody Wheeler
Yoko is one of the characters Rosemary Wells has created who has endeared herself to readers. She is the star in this series, "Yoko and Friends School Days." The situation is not unusual. Yoko is very smart; she knows her letters and can read, but she pretends that she can't. The teacher is stymied and is not able to figure it out. Yoko's mother is also mystified when the eye examination reveals that she has perfect vision. What can the problem be? Yoko is afraid that once her mother knows she can read, their time reading together will disappear. Mother reassures Yoko that she will continue reading to her until Yoko wants to stop. She does suggest that once in a while Yoko might want to read to her, but the important point is that it will still be a shared experience. Wells's delightful characters fill the pages. At the end of the story Wells has a note to parents reminding them of the importance of reading and the purpose of this series to depict "the real nitty-gritty of elementary school." 2002, Hyperion Books, Ages 5 to 7, $9.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-7868-0727-X
ISBN: 0-7868-1533-7
¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes We Can!
Diana Cohn
Illustrated by Francisco Delgado.
Translated by Sharon Franco
"¡Sí, Se Puede! Sí, Se Puede!" cries the crowd of underpaid janitors in this historical fiction picture book based on the janitor strike in Los Angeles, California in the year 2000. The book uses historically accurate details to tell about the strike while it uses a fictional family to make the book more personal. Carlitos is a young boy whose mother tucks him in every night and heads off to work as a janitor in a large office building. One evening, she tells Carlitos that she cannot take care of him and his grandmother the way she wishes she could because of the poor working conditions and that she and the other janitors are going on strike. The janitors are underpaid and work long hours, even on the weekends. As bathrooms go unclean and trash piles up, Carlitos is exposed to the importance of what his Mamá is doing. One day at school, Carlitos's teacher even talks about it. He realizes that he is not the only student in his class that has a parent involved. The children decide that they will combine together to help their parents out. Carlitos and his friends meet together to paint signs. They plan on rallying along with their parents. Carlitos makes a sign that says, "I love my Mamá, she is a janitor!" After three weeks the strike ends and the janitors receive the pay raises and respect that they have deserved and waited for. 2002, Cinco Puntos Press, Ages 9 to 12, $15.95. Reviewer: Tricia Toy
ISBN: 0-938317-66-0
Thanks, Mom
Ed Emberley
Kiko the little mouse takes a piece of delicious cheese and runs away with it. Soon, however, Kiko is pursued by Gato the cat who is chased by Fido the dog. Upon seeing Fido, Otto the tiger begins to chase. He in turn is chased by Mumbo the elephant. Kiko's mother confronts Mumbo with the usual elephant and mouse results. There is a circus tent on the title page, followed by a double-page spread introducing the cast of characters in their vibrantly colored costumes and showing them performing their acts. By the time the reader turns the page, he feels as if he is there watching the performance at the circus. This is full of madcap action, a wonderfully expressive cast of characters and strong visuals. And oh, how Kiko and his mother enjoy the delicious cheese! The simple, repetitive text ("See Gato run? Run, Kiko, run!") encourages reader and young listener to say the lines together in this delightful romp. That mom always comes through in the end is both a reminder and a reassurance to children. Thanks, Ed! 2003, Little Brown and Company, Ages 3 to 7, $15.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-316-24022-2
Wake Up, Mama!
Hope Vestergaard
Illustrated by Thierry Courtin
Daddy puts Baby at the foot of the bed and we watch as Baby climbs his way up to the head to cuddle with Mama. At that point, Daddy brings tea to Mama as Baby and Mama hug. The bouncy rhyme is in sync with the story. "Pass her piggies - please don't tickle!/ That would surely end this trip!/ 'Round her knees before she bends them./ See that hill? It's Mama's hip." The background is simply the wall color. The focus is on the bed, a fluffy quilt, the child and his mother. With its warm and cozy feel, this will appeal to young children, especially those who have had the fun of waking a sleeping parent in the morning. 2003, Dutton Children's Books, Ages 2 to 4, $6.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-525-47030-1
We Are Bears
Molly Groom
Illustrated by Lucia Guarnotta
Mother Bear's two cubs awaken and begin to explore their environment, leaving their den for the first time. Under the protective gaze of their loving parent, they romp through meadows, climb trees, and swim, all the while acquiring the skills they will need to grow into adult bears. Lovely, sharp, detailed, photographic-like illustrations, usually one full page to each double-page spread, accompany the serviceable but not particularly compelling text. Many pages include attractive borders that stand out on the white paper. Although the somewhat wordy text is mildly interesting and does include a lot of information about bear behavior; it is the remarkable illustrations that will make this book appealing to children and attractive for their parents. 2002, Northwood Press, Ages 3 to 6, $7.95. Reviewer: Leslie Rounds
ISBN: 1-55971-747-5
ISBN: 1-55971-836-6
What Mommies Do Best
Laura Numeroff
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
This is a sweet little board book with simple text and charming watercolor illustrations. Anthropomorphic pigs, elephants, bears and porcupines are the mothers and children. Each page shows them spending time together, and the text explains the wonderful things mommies can do. They help you plant the garden and wash the dog. They teach you had to ride a bike and they tuck you in at night. The best things mommies do is saved for the end and is, of course, that they give you "lots and lots of love!" The illustrations are tender and compassionate setting the appropriate tone. A good addition to a Mother's Day collection. "A Classic Board Book." 2003 (1998), Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, Ages 2 to 5, $6.99. Reviewer: Sarah Seage
ISBN: 0-689-85659-8
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Added 04/30/03
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