My Mama

We are introduced to this charming mother and offspring by the drawing of a happy – and pregnant – elephant! She is dressed in a delightful frock covered in multi-coloured scribbles, and she pats the orange star on her extended ‘tum’ contentedly. Then, offspring, dressed in orange starry trousers, shares all sorts of activities with mother, some quite crazy, such as when youngster decides to improve Mum’s frock by cutting a deep fringe into it. Little one is the storyteller, and he announces that he is always the one in charge. Watering the plants will amuse young readers; Mum has the watering can, whilst in the picture we see little one peeing…. Mama is never angry with him, but when she is, she’s really angry, and her explanation takes a very long time, he says. The ending is poignant; ‘At bedtime, my mama shakes the stars off my pants. I give her a big hug and say; “Goodnight, stars, see you tomorrow!”’ A wonderful picture illustrates this happening. The book is bound to generate lots of discussion between reader and listener as they share the story and talk about the relationship between the elephants, and about all their various activities. There are intriguing details to find in the bold pictures, including spotting the starry endpapers… orange of course.