This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Parents and other adult figures are often absent from books for young readers. If they do make an appearance, it's on the margins. Think Charlie Brown ("wah wah wah"). This isn't a bad thing, actually. Books give children a chance to identify with characters their own age who are required to solve their own problems.
Still, there are titles, old and new, that celebrate the special bond between mother and child. Just in time for Mother's Day on Sunday, May 8, here's a roundup of picture books, old and new, that do just that.
"Mom, There's a Bear at the Door" by Sabine Lipan, illustrated by Mauela Olten • How does a mother respond when a child mentions there's a bear at the door of their 11th-floor apartment? She asks questions, of course: "How did the bear get up here?" "How did the bear get to the city?" "And what does the bear want, here on our 11th floor?" This new title provides a light look at those unlikely conversations that mothers and their children sometimes have.
"Is Mommy?" by Victoria Chang, illustrated by Marla Frazee • In one of my favorite newer books, a group of children is presented with a series of questions. Is Mommy tall … or short? Is Mommy pretty … or ugly? Is Mommy nice … or mean? The responses are at once truthful and affectionate. Frazee, who has been awarded a Caldecott Honor Medal twice, scores big with her energetic cartoon-style illustrations.
"I'll Catch You If You Fall" by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Layn Marlow • Set against the backdrop of sea and sky, this lovely book isn't mothercentric. All of the characters — a boy, a mother, a sea captain and a star — promise to catch one another if they fall. Still, the story's generous and comforting tone makes it feel right for Mother's Day.
"The Mommy Book" by Todd Parr • True confession: The first time I read one of Todd Parr's books, I rolled my eyes. Really? I thought to myself. An adult who draws stick figures like a kid with a set of colored markers? But over time, I've come to appreciate the simplicity of Parr's work in its message and execution. In this particular book, Parr makes children comfortable with the idea that there are all kinds of mothers who have something in common: They love their children.
"My Marvelous Mom" published by Sterling's Children's Books • In this baby board book, very young children are invited to look at photographs of real animal mothers (tigers, polar bears, elephants) and their babies. The text celebrates the small kindnesses — "she plays with me when I'm bored" and "she's never bothered when I'm silly" — of mothers everywhere.
"I Love Mom," edited by Tasha Percy • Like "My Marvelous Mom," this book uses photographs of real animals to explore the bond between a mother and her child. But "I Love Mom" has the added bonus of including animal facts for children who are interested. Example: "Baby orangutans cling to their mothers until they are about 2 years old, but they are learning from her all of the time. They like to grab hold of branches and practice swinging or gripping with their fingerlike toes — but they always keep Mom close by."
"My Mom Is a Foreigner, But Not to Me," written by Julianne Moore, illustrated by Meilo So • Look, I'll just be upfront about this: I have a pronounced prejudice against picture books written by celebrities. Oh, celebrities! They think they can just pick up a pen at any old time and dash off a picture book manuscript that someone will publish. The thing is, they're right — which explains why we have picture books in this world written by Jerry Seinfeld, LeAnn Rimes, Ray Romano, Brooke Shields, Spike Lee, Maria Shriver and Sting. Still, Julianne Moore (whose own mother was Scottish) does a nice job of speaking to the experience of having a parent who's different from other parents.
"The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd • "The Runaway Bunny" is like an old friend. It doesn't matter how long it's been since the two of you have seen each other — you immediately fall back into all the sweet, familiar rhythms that have defined your relationship. With its imaginative images and rolling repetitions, "The Runaway Bunny" still comforts, still pleases. It's no wonder that so many books published since feel like riffs on the original.
"Mama, Do You Love Me?" by Barbara M. Joosse, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee • Speaking of books that recall "The Runaway Bunny," Joosse's story about an Inuit child who wonders if her mother will still love her even if she were to turn into a musk-ox or break the ptarmigan eggs has become a classic in its own right. The cultural context of this book makes it a standout, along with Lavallee's gorgeous arctic illustrations.
"In Our Mothers' House," written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco • Patricia Polacco brings her trademark humanity to this story about a family headed by two mothers. Like a number of Polacco's books, "In Our Mothers' House" has the feeling of memoir. Along the way, readers are invited to consider the idea that biology alone does not a family make.
"Love You Forever," by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Sheila McGraw • In my experience, mothers either really LOVE or really HATE this fanciful story about a woman who never stops loving a son no matter how old he is. The Lovers are moved by the depiction of that enduring bond between mother and child. The Haters are disturbed by the image of a mother climbing through the window of her adult son's house in the middle of the night to watch over him while he sleeps. "Gah!" one librarian said to me. "How would you like that lady for a mother-in-law"? Love it or hate it, as of the year 2016, Munsch's book is in its 100th printing.
"Just What Mama Needs" by Sharlee Mullins Glenn, illustrated by Amiko Hirao • "Just What Mama Needs" by local author Sharlee Mullins Glenn follows Abby as she assumes a different identity — pirate! detective! witch! — each day of the week. Mama plays along, of course. But she's particularly happy on Sunday when Abby is just Abby.
"Make Way for Ducklings! 75th Anniversary Edition," written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey • Thumb through McCloskey's iconic classic and you'll see how much picture books have changed over the years. Today's picture books are characterized by leaner texts and colorful graphics. By contrast "Make Way for Ducklings" is wordy, and it's unlikely that today's children would immediately warm to its old-fashioned, monochromatic illustrations. Still, the book has huge nostalgic appeal. And you have to hand it to Mama Duck. Seventy-five years later, she's still trying to get those babies to cross the road.