A Gift for Mama

Starred review from December 2, 2013
The beauty and rich culture of historic Vienna course through this sweet, circular story from Lodding (The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister), in which a boy strives to procure the perfect birthday present for his mother. Armed with a single coin, Oskar quickly finds his purchase—a yellow rose—in the middle of the street market. But before he can bring the lovely gift home, an artist asks Oskar if he’ll trade the flower for a paintbrush (“I can paint a picture for Mama,” says an amenable Oskar, “the perfect present!”). So begins a folktale-flavored chain of exchanges that eventually leaves poor Oskar empty-handed. Luckily, one of his kind deeds is rewarded just in time, bringing the story full circle. Colorful storefronts, elegant carriages, and a stately opera house depicted in Jay’s (The Cloud Spinner) earthy palette and crackle varnish help evoke an earlier century. Her stylized forms—along with spirited background appearances by a cat, fox, and runaway dog—underscore the vibrancy of city life. An author’s note about Vienna’s role in inspiring the book is included. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: The Organisation.

April 1, 2014
An earnest boy walks the streets of turn-of-the-20th-century Vienna, seeking the perfect present for his mother's birthday. Lodding begins in the morning with Oskar peering "wide-eyed into the shop windows" of the bustling city, where "[s]hoppers and sellers filled the streets, and carriages clippity-clopped against the cobblestones." The descriptive language reveals a task to be completed. He must find something to buy his mother even though he has but one coin. Oskar spots a striking yellow rose and promptly buys it. But an artist admires his flower and trades him a paintbrush for the bloom. Oskar then decides this will be the perfect item with which to paint his mother a picture. Agreeable and ever helpful Oskar then encounters a conductor, a writer and the empress, and a trade occurs each time. As the sun begins to set, he runs along the Danube, eager to present his gift to his mother...until he notices a girl crying. He discovers that she is in a similar predicament and decides to give the girl his gift even if that means he is left with nothing. When all seems hopeless, a tap on the shoulder from the girl reveals a most beautiful and familiar resolution. The beauty and warmth of the tale is skillfully matched in Jay's glowing illustrations that appear to have an aged, crackled finish. Treat this lovely story as a gift worth sharing. (note) (Picture book. 4-8)

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March 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-In this lovely, circular story set in 19th-century Vienna, Oskar searches for the perfect gift for his mother, armed with a single coin. Each time he acquires a gift, starting with a perfect yellow rose, he meets someone who convinces him to trade it for something else. Finally, the day is over, and he is back where he started. In the concluding paragraph, Lodding states that most of the people Oskar meets are important figures from Viennese history-Gustav Klimt, Felix Salten, Johann Strauss II, and Empress Sisi-and that this is Vienna's story as well as Oskar's. The narrative is well written and satisfying to read aloud. Jay's crackle-glazed paintings are as dreamily beautiful as ever, masterfully composed, and full of interesting details. Unfortunately, in this case, the soft surrealism of her landscapes works against her revelation that the story is meant to be firmly rooted in the city's history. While the text and illustrations are wonderful in their own right, it is a shame that the historical connections really only exist in the author's note. Whether or not an opportunity was lost, this is a lovely and successful book about optimism, giving, and love. Purchase without hesitation.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2014
Grades K-2 The search for the perfect present is a tried-and-true storybook conceit, and it is given an enchanting twist in Lodding's tale, as readers journey through old Vienna along with Oskar, meeting the artists, musicians, writers, and royalty who made the fin de si'cle era unique. It all starts with the perfect present for Mama's birthday: a yellow rose that young Oskar is persuaded to trade for a paintbrush. More trades follow, each seemingly more interesting until finally Oskar seems to wind up empty-handed after handing a forlorn girl his final treasure, a box of candied violets given to him by the empress herself. But waittruly what goes around comes around when the little girl hands him the rose she was wearing in her hair. Jay's illustrations feature the warmly aged, crackled surface of an ancient painting and the kindly ovoid bodies that have become her trademark. As an introduction to a special time and place, Lodding's unique offering will prove a treat for sensitive, imaginative readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)