Mommy Hugs (Board Book) by Karen Katz A colorful picture book (also available as a board book) that counts all the different types of hugs mommies give throughout the day.
Runaway Bunny (Picture Book) by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Clement Hurd A young rabbit talks about ways he might try to run from his mother, but she assures him that she will always find a way to be near him.
Little Bear (Easy Reader) by Else Holmelund Minarik, illustrated by Maurice Sendak In four different episodes, Little Bear's mother shows her love for her son by clothing him when he's cold, baking him a birthday cake, sharing in his imaginings about space, and putting him to bed.
Ramona and her Mother (Middle Grade) by Beverly Cleary Ramona worries that some of her behavior makes her unlovable and fears that her mother, who has recently gone back to work, doesn't like her as much as her sister Beezus.
The Wedding Planner's Daughter (Middle Grade) by Coleen Murtagh Paratore Willa Havisham wants her mother, Stella, who is a wedding planner, to fall in love and settle down, but her efforts don't go exactly as planned.
We Help Mommy (Picture Book) by Jean Cushman, illustrated by Eloise Wilkin Two children help their mother with various household tasks. This was my sister's favorite book when she was little, and I can still recite the first lines: We help Mommy every day. We help her in the morning as soon as we get up. We take off our pajamas.
J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan is unexpectedly mother-centric. As the narrator, Barrie says explicitly that Mrs. Darling is his favourite character--and I think it is she, not Wendy or Tinkerbell--who is Peter's true foil.
My own favourite Beverly Cleary mother is Mrs. Huggins! But then again, I've yet to read Ramona and Her Mother.
I think I've only read one Henry Huggins book - I should read the others! Beverly Cleary does have a talent for writing mothers, I've noticed that in some of her other books, too.
Which book was that? I've read the first three and really enjoyed them. (I also like seeing Ramona when she was just a minor character. She really did steal the show from everyone else, didn't she?)
And I love that Ramona became the focal point of the books. She definitely couldn't be contained in just one story!
Have you read any of Cleary's young adult "first love" books? I've just started a review series for those. I reviewed The Luckiest Girlon Sunday, and I've just finished reading Jean and Johnny. They're a bit more dated than the Ramona books, but there is still something charming about them.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteJ.M. Barrie's Peter Pan is unexpectedly mother-centric. As the narrator, Barrie says explicitly that Mrs. Darling is his favourite character--and I think it is she, not Wendy or Tinkerbell--who is Peter's true foil.
My own favourite Beverly Cleary mother is Mrs. Huggins! But then again, I've yet to read Ramona and Her Mother.
I think I've only read one Henry Huggins book - I should read the others! Beverly Cleary does have a talent for writing mothers, I've noticed that in some of her other books, too.
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteWhich book was that? I've read the first three and really enjoyed them. (I also like seeing Ramona when she was just a minor character. She really did steal the show from everyone else, didn't she?)
I think it was Henry and Beezus. I'm 99% sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that Ramona became the focal point of the books. She definitely couldn't be contained in just one story!
Have you read any of Cleary's young adult "first love" books? I've just started a review series for those. I reviewed The Luckiest Girl on Sunday, and I've just finished reading Jean and Johnny. They're a bit more dated than the Ramona books, but there is still something charming about them.