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Monster Mama by Liz Rosenberg, illustrated by Stephen Gammell (©1993, PaperStar). This is one of my all-time favorite "mama" books. Gammell's illustrations are wild and full of life, just like Monster Mama and her son Patrick Edward. The love between mother and son is tangible as she raises her son to be an independent, strong, capable boy. This proves true when he is faced with "lizards" and "tyrants" in the form of three bigger boys who dare to insult his mother. The subsequent display of monstrousness is thrilling, and ultimately the real virtue of having a Monster Mama shines through in a surprising way. This is a quirky tale, with vivid illustrations and motherly sentiments that will appeal to both child and mama alike. Mother, Mother, I Want Another by Maria Polushkin Robbins, illustrated by Jon Goodell (©2005, Alfred A. Knopf). Mrs. Mouse puts her baby mouse to bed, only to have him say, "I want another, Mother." The miscommunication that follows brings a stream of "other mothers" to visit baby mouse, each with her own special gift. Of course, baby mouse finally clarifies things by saying, "I want another kiss!" This whimsical bedtime story is brought to life with friendly, cheerful illustrations. A good tale for Mom to tuck her own little mouse in with. The Most Thankful Thing by Lisa McCourt, illustrated by Cyd Moore (©2004, Scholastic). When her daughter asks what her "most thankful thing" is, it inspires a guessing game that spans the mother's whole life. The illustrations are cleverly crafted to look like a scrapbook, as the daughter tries to guess her mom's "most thankful thing." From soccer games to her parents' wedding day, the girl gets closer and closer to the real best thing, and finally it's there on the page-the day she was born! A lovely, heartwarming mother and daughter tale to share. Skateboard Mom by Barbara Odanaka, illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi (©2004, Putnam). Ever strap on a pair of skates as a kid? Fly through the air on your skateboard down the street? Then this is the story for you. Little does the boy in the story know, but his mom was a skateboarding fiend before he was born. He finds out, of course, when he gets a board for his birthday and his mom steals it away almost before the wrapping paper has fallen to the floor. Full of fun rhymes and energetic illustrations, this book is a sparkly read-aloud that will amuse everyone. Who knows, you might even need to break out your old wheels and go for a spin afterwards! Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Kids by David Kirk (©2004, Scholastic). Miss Spider becomes a mom in the latest installment by Kirk, full of rollicking rhymes and vivid illustrations. Her babies are born, and it's not long at all before one of them sets off on an adventure to find the mother of a lost egg. As Squirt progresses on his journey he finds a gang of bugs looking for a mom of their own. All ends happily with egg restored home and the bugs finding an adoptive mom in Miss Spider, of course! Moms and children alike will appreciate the theme of family and love, which extends to every creature-whether bug or fowl. |
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