My Mother Is So Smart

by Tomie dePaola, Tomie dePaola (Illustrator)

Overview

Mothers are so amazing--is there anything they can't do? Through the heartfelt words of a little boy awed by all the things his mom can do, this glowing celebration of mothers has a universal appeal that will make young readers everywhere want to share it with their own moms. Featuring Tomie dePaola's classic soft illustrations and in a wonderful smaller trim size, this is a perfect gift for Mother's Day--or any day!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101639542
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	03/07/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Tomie dePaola (www.tomie.com) is the acclaimed author and/or illustrator of more that 200 books for children.

Hometown:

Connecticut and New Hampshire

Date of Birth:

September 15, 1935

Place of Birth:

Meriden, CT

Website:

http://www.tomie.com/main.html

Editorial Reviews

This little boy's mother is so smart, "[s]he always knew when to change my diaper." She also dresses him in a snowsuit in the winter, makes "the best cookies" and, "when it's cold out...gives us breakfast that makes us warm." In most respects, this Supermom is Everymom, and her son's awed appreciation is winning in its ingenuousness. But, according to the jacket bio, dePaola's mother had some specific smarts. "She knows how to drive my grandfather's old delivery truck." And when little Tomie's teacher tells him he has to wait outside after school, he has just the right riposte. The artist's characteristic borders give the book a cozy intimacy that allows this petite memoir to connect with its modern audience. For a holiday too often characterized by cold-hearted calculation, this sweetly honest offering hits just the right note. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews

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. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-K—DePaola 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

School Library Journal