MOMMY MINE

Author Warnes teams up with his illustrator wife to create a salute to mothers of all types. Simple, rhyming text characterizes the mostly physical attributes of various animal mothers. Spanning a broad spectrum of species, Warnes’s choices include creatures from the smallest winged insect to the tallest giraffe. The sing-song cadence of the rhymes is naturally suited for read-aloud sessions with the very young. Although some human mothers could take umbrage at the slightly disparaging remarks that arise from rather forced rhymes, such as “Mommy grubby / . . . Mommy chubby” and “Mommy lazy / clumsy Mommy-whoopsy-daisy,” when combined with Chapman’s comically detailed illustrations, these comments lean more towards a spirit of whimsy rather than casting aspersions. While Chapman’s charmingly depicted creatures range from exotic lemurs and anteaters to more familiar barnyard inhabitants, the devoted connection between the mothers and their offspring becomes the universal theme that unites them all. Scoring high on the exuberance scale, the rollicking recital is bound to be warmly embraced by the preschool set. (Picture book. 3-5)