Mother's Day book: Is Your Mama a Llama?

It's one week and a couple days before Mother's Day.

Time to read some books about mums.

One of my favourites is Is Your Mama a Llama?

written by Deborah Guarino

illustrated by Steven Kellogg

published by Scholastic

juvenile fiction

suitable for ages  3 - 7

themes mothers and children, animals, 

opening lines  "Is your mama a llama", I asked my friend Dave. "No she is not", is the answer Dave gave.

synopsis  Lloyd, a young llama, asks his friends if their mama is a llama.  Each responds with a rhyming description of their mother, which is answered on the following page. By the end of the Lloyd is reunited with his llama mama

I like this book because ...  Is Your Mama a Llama is a lovely read-aloud.  It has gently flowing, playful rhyming text which invites children to chorus the answer to the description of the animal mamas.  Steven Kellogg's illustrations are engaging and sweet without lapsing into cutesy.  

Mother's Day can be difficult for some children.  Sadly, not all children enjoy the unconditional love of an emotionally available mum.  Mother's Day books that extoll the virtues of an ideal mother can ring very hollow and be hurtful for some children.  Is Your Mama a Llama celebrates the connection between mamas and their wee ones while removing it from the human experience through the animal characters.  It's a book about Mamas that all children can enjoy.

resources ...

Is Your Mama a Llama begs to be retold.  OneStressLESSTeacher sells this flannelboard set on Etsy.

    

Another way to enjoy the story would be to sing along with this original song.

                       

and this time with attitude...

                       

For more information about llamas from llamas.com, click the llama picture below.

This book review would not be complete without some mama and baby animal resources.

DesignBeep has some lovely (gets ya a little bit misty) mama and baby pictures. Click blelow.

Enchanted Learning has compiled a chart of the names of animals males, females, babies and groups. Did you know that a baby alpaca is called a cria and that a group of apes is called an obstinacy?

1+1+1=1  has just posted a baby animals printable pack. Click it to print it.

She also has a mama and baby animal matching game with beautiful photos.

happy reading