by Catriona Hoy and Anne WhiteHachette Children’s Books. Picture book, Australian, Young Reader. Paperback rrp $16.99. Hardback rrp $28.99
One cold Saturday morning, when my five-year-old and I were tucked up in bed, I reached for the next book in our ‘mother and son’ reviewing pile. Mummies are Amazing. The title immediately won me over and the picture on the front cover promised fun and adventure for us both. What mother wouldn’t want to go roller skating with her children, wearing a tiara and fairy wings, waving a wand?
This is a wonderful book in many ways. Not only could my ‘just-learning-to-read’ son pick out familiar words but he zeroed in on the repetition as well.
The things that make mummies amazing are very simple and realistic, readily identified with by any child - making snakes out of stockings, taking splinters out of fingers and scaring away monsters at night. The accompanying illustrations by Anne White fill in all the fun details and make the monsters suitably silly – just how monsters should be!
The most appropriate one for our family was ‘Mummies are for finding things that are lost.’ We had a really good chuckle about that page.
After reading Mummies are Amazing together, my son turned and cuddled me, and said that Mummies are for kissing and hugs! Now that felt amazing!
Well unfortunately Mother’s Day has just gone because this book is the perfect gift. But then again, this book would be perfect ANYTIME. Every mother and young child will enjoy sharing this one.
One cold Saturday morning, when my five-year-old and I were tucked up in bed, I reached for the next book in our ‘mother and son’ reviewing pile. Mummies are Amazing. The title immediately won me over and the picture on the front cover promised fun and adventure for us both. What mother wouldn’t want to go roller skating with her children, wearing a tiara and fairy wings, waving a wand?
This is a wonderful book in many ways. Not only could my ‘just-learning-to-read’ son pick out familiar words but he zeroed in on the repetition as well.
The things that make mummies amazing are very simple and realistic, readily identified with by any child - making snakes out of stockings, taking splinters out of fingers and scaring away monsters at night. The accompanying illustrations by Anne White fill in all the fun details and make the monsters suitably silly – just how monsters should be!
The most appropriate one for our family was ‘Mummies are for finding things that are lost.’ We had a really good chuckle about that page.
After reading Mummies are Amazing together, my son turned and cuddled me, and said that Mummies are for kissing and hugs! Now that felt amazing!
Well unfortunately Mother’s Day has just gone because this book is the perfect gift. But then again, this book would be perfect ANYTIME. Every mother and young child will enjoy sharing this one.
Thanks for the lovely review. I think Annie did a fantastic job illustrating. My favourite is 'Mummies are for listening to the biggest stories'. I really wondered how she would interpret that and when I saw the roughs I thought 'Yes, Yes.' I hope everyone can find something which resonates within their family...especially the look on that mum's face during the kids party. She is thinking ' Only twenty minutes until their parents pick them up!'
ReplyDeleteCatriona
Catriona,
ReplyDeleteThe review is only as good as the book! And yes - that look during a child's party is there with me - always. Now I have 2 teenagers the parties are a bit different but my little one is just starting... he keeps hassling for a party - I keep hedging... I just have to remember the sleeping face at the end of it all... Best painting anyone can give!