MY WORKING MOM

Mother as mad scientist, mother as witch—that's what the illustrations here are all about. The words are another thing altogether: a child's innocent account of what mother does—e.g., ``Mom says her meetings are boring, but I'll bet they're a blast!'' The overwhelming cartoon accompanying this matter-of- fact observation shows a delirious witches' coven. In the pictures, Mom creates monster frogs, gives children rides on her broom, and makes birthday cakes out of the moon, all to the beat of simple sentences. It's a deliciously sly example of picture book counterpoint: The author and illustrator's parallel themes combine to create an explosive third melody. Children may enjoy contrasting this with the subtler harmony of fantasy and reality in Rosenberg/Gammell's Monster Mama (1993). (Picture book. 3-7)