Mama by Kelly Jones, Ken Kewley (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

With a baby brother who talks all of the time but can only say one word, "Mama," it is up to his big sister to teach everyone else exactly what her brother is saying. "Mama" can mean he is happy. "Mama" can mean he's sad. His big sister discovers that he even calls out "Mama" when he wants his dad. Cleverly told in the voice of an insightful big sister, this book captures the bond between a little girl and her baby brother with an exquisite blend of funny rhymes and striking collages. Nurturing the bond between siblings, the bold, colorful artwork conveys important lessons about mutual respect and the importance of each child's role within the family.

OC Family Magazine

It's one thing to write a book that stimulates a child's imagination, another to write one that inspires the child to actually go out and create something of his own. That's exactly what Mama does.

Inspired Parenting Magazine

Mama is a romp through a wildly colorful landscape in the company of two engaging children.

Brenda Dales, Ph.D. - Children's Literature

A big sister relates interpretations of her toddler brother's one-word vocabulary during the routines of a typical day. "MAMA" is the word he exclaims, from first waking in his crib in the morning when "Mama" means "Let me out!" to getting dressed, to breakfast time when "Mama" means "I'm hungry," to riding along with Big Sister to school, and on to after-school shopping and then playtime. He uses "Mama" to express emotions from happy to sad, or to really mean "Dad." Finally, at day's end and time for bed, "Mama" means "very simply . . 'MAMA'"—and this is the first time Mama actually appears in the book. Rhyming text of one to three lines per page is just slightly off-meter. Collage illustrations are uneven geometrical or rounded shapes and solid colors, creating a flat perspective. While child-like, the the many bits of color on each page creates a frequent lack of focal point and sometimes a skewed viewpoint. Some images are difficult to discern which detracts from the meaning. 2004, Stunt Publishing, Ages 4 to 7.

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