My Mother Is So Smart

March 22, 2010
A young narrator praises his mother for such maternal deeds as knowing when to change his diaper when he was a baby, baking “the best” cookies, and serving a warm breakfast when it's cold out. More diverting are revelations of her spunkiness: she teaches him to dance the polka, takes him to school in grandfather's antique truck, and shows kids how to write their initials in the air with sparklers. Pastel borders frame spare, warm portraits of mother and son: as the mother faces readers, fresh Popsicles at the ready, she resembles no less then a modern-day saint. Ages 3–5.

March 1, 2010
PreS-KDePaola offers a portrait of a little boy and his doting mother, who bakes cookies, sews Halloween costumes, and can even stand on her head. Each page offers one of her skills, with soft, acrylic paintings illustrating the full range of her abilities. This story acts as more of a nostalgic picture album of dePaola's childhood than as a fully developed story, but the simple sweetness of the vignettes both in text and illustration present a heartfelt tribute to one fabulous woman. While the story is an endearing celebration of one specific parent, it's unlikely to resonate with many of today's children."Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA"

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