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Summary
Summary
In this elegant expression of wisdom and love, mothers around the world share life's simplest yet important lessons with their sons. With Leo and Diane Dillon's magnificent paintings, these moments of sharing are profound, engrossing, and a tender display of hope and trust, strength and support. Each verse presents a different family and is translated into a language related to their culture. Whether Cherokee or Korean or American, true love between parent and child transcends our differences and unites us all.
Author Notes
Rob D. Walker is a talented singer, artist, and actor who loves to tell stories to his five children. He and his wife and family live in New York State. This is his second book for The Blue Sky Press. His first, Once Upon a Cloud, was praised as "an enchanting book" by Booklist.
Versatility, diversity, research, and integrity have remained characteristics of the Dillons' work, which ranges from African folktales to Scandinavian epics, from fantasy to science fiction. In addition to two Caldecott Medals (for Ashanti to Zulu and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears), they have received four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards, four Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, two Coretta Scott King Awards, and the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal, and were inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 1997.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
A sure-fire hit for Mother's Day, this elegantly designed book pairs a series of poems with stunning illustrations to celebrate the bond between mothers and sons. Identical in structure, each beginning with "Mama says," the poems appear in English as well as another language (among these are Cherokee, Danish, Hebrew and Inuktitut). The verses are prosaic ("Mama says/ To be on time/ Mama says/ Be neat/ Mama says/ To walk with pride/ And never drag my feet")-but only until the Caldecott Medal-winning Dillons create a greater context for them; in this case, they picture an African-American mother solemnly looking on as her son, carrying schoolbooks, stoically walks past angry white protestors. The illustrations, two per poem, are well-researched and lavish, showing mothers in traditional dress lovingly engaged with their sons. A visual notation connects each entry with a glossary of languages in the back. Even with the inclusion of very general religious precepts, the Dillons' breathtaking paintings and the quiet dignity of the poems merit a wide audience. All ages. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Mother/son relationships are explored through spare rhyming text and multilingual translations. God is a common element, and the gender roles and some of the values feel stereotyped, in part because the text doesn't provide any context. Stately paintings show sons fulfilling their obligations to family and community. A thoughtful afterword contains more information about each culture and language. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Written in 12 different languages and translated into English, the simple rhyming poems in this picture-book collection celebrate mothers and sons, as well as the profound ways that parents guide their children. On each spread, a full-page painting in clear, glowing collage shows a different child, around the world: an Ethiopian boy reads and writes while his mother holds a lantern; a Jewish boy prays with his mother; an Arab boy studies the stars ( Mama says / Embrace the moon / And marvel at the sun ); and an African American child walks past racist demonstrators on his way to school, his mother behind him. Appended notes fill in more about each featured language: Amharic, Hindi, Hebrew, Inuktitut, Japanese, Arabic, Quechua, Danish, Korean, Cherokee, Russian, and English. The final double-page spread shows the boys all grown up together: And now I am a man. Kids will be moved by the drama created by the scenes of global diversity and connections across cultures, as well as the kindness, pride, hard work, and love that shine from every picture and poem.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2009 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4-Twelve different cultures are represented in this visually stunning, slightly oversize offering. For each one, a short poem stating wisdom or advice that a mother might offer a son is presented on the verso, along with a painting in a circular frame. The effect of the frame is to give readers the feeling that they are peeking in at a private moment between parent and child. The recto has a full-page illustration of the son acting on the advice. The poems are simple and direct and address everything from being honest to sharing and appreciating nature. Some have distinctly religious messages: "Mama says/Have faith/Mama says/Believe/Mama says/To trust in God/And let God take the lead." All of the poems are also presented in the language of the culture addressed, including Cherokee, Hindi, and Danish. The afterword details the specific sources used to obtain accurate translations. The artwork is nothing short of brilliant. Elegantly composed pictures not only capture and enhance the meaning of the poem they accompany, but also depict the various cultures with remarkable attention to detail. This is a lovely and important addition for most collections.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Flawed but still impressive, this illustrated collection of brief snippets of advice will particularly appeal to progressive parents eager to foster understanding and compassion in their children. Beautifully composed and executed pictures in the Dillons' trademark style offer glimpses into the lives of mothers and sons from a variety of cultures. Translations of each seven-line verse into the language of the individuals depicted are included, as are endnotes identifying the various languages and where they are spoken. The weak link is the text. A singsong rhythm and relentless rhyme make it feel repetitive, while occasionally abstract counsel ("Happiness / Comes from inner peace" and "Success is when / You know you must endure") is unlikely to resonate with young listeners. Still, cherish this for the sentiment and overall presentation. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
