Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

ARE YOU MY MOTHER? BY P.D.EASTMAN

Reviewed by: Lori Walters Barbara 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Eastman, P.D., 1960, Renewed in 1991, Are You My Mother? Beginner Reader Series, Random House Books.  New York City, NY, ISBN# 998000171322

PLOT SUMMARY

This story written by Philip D. Eastman is a story of lost and found.  A story of the loving relationship between mother and baby and the search to find one’s mother.  Baby Bird hatches from its egg while Mother Bird has gone to find food for its baby.  Because the baby bird has never seen his mother, the baby bird sets off to find her.  The story unveils through a series of humorous encounters with a hen, dog, kitten, boat, airplane and SNORT, to name a few.  The baby asks each animal or object if they are his mother.  While Baby Bird becomes increasingly discouraged, the climatic end places the baby bird in the bucket of the SNORT who carefully returns the baby bird to its nest and ultimately to his mother.  The baby bird tells his mother that of course he knows who she is and retells the wonderful adventure of his journey to find her.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

P. D. Eastman wrote this book as apart of the Beginner Series for Dr. Seuss.  Mr. Eastman uses simple language and the repetition of asking the same question to various animals and objects in order to establish an adventure for Baby Bird.    The author takes a daunting and often scary subject, “being lost,” and uses humor and expressive illustrations to convey a lighter message to finding ones mother.

The illustrations lead the reader to believe that Baby Bird finds his mother relatively quickly, within the day, due to the lack of nighttime illustrations.  The use of ink drawings plus only red and yellow and singular imagery on each page or facing pages draws the reader’s attention to the pictures and emphasis of detail to these simple singular illustrations.  The use of simple yet playful drawings verses collage style imagery supports “focus” in early readers especially in the picture book format.  The simple illustrations convey the emotion of each scene which is perfect for readers ages 2-6.

Are You My Mother? is a lovely classic which ever so gently, expresses the innocence and bond between baby and mother.  It is a timeless story that even though written in the 1960s, when mothers were the primary caretakers, has stood the test of time.  If written today, would it be, “Are You My Parent?”  Would the illustrations be more inclusive of fathers, grandparents and less traditional guardians?

I love the beauty of young innocence captured in this story and the way it reinforces the true bond between a baby and its primary life-long relationship, it’s Mother.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Starred Review in Best Children’s Books: “Are You My Mother? is that book you keep handy for a day that featured some scares or disappointments, some owies or hurt feelings. Then you read it just before a big hug and lights out.”   

CONNECTIONS

Are You My Mother is a wonderful book for integrated curriculum.  Here are a few ideas for utilizing this story in the classroom:

Language Arts- Gather other books that tells the story of an animal being lost.  Ask Students what other stories they may know that have lost characters.

Ask students how these characters find their way home.

Have students make predictions throughout the story… What happens next?

Science- Have students study Baby Animals and their Mothers.  Have students match baby animals to their parents and review baby animal names with corresponding adult animals.

Have student’s discuss how animals communicate in their own language.  Have students recite the sounds that different animals make to communicate.

Art- Have students draw a picture of one other animal or object Baby Bird encounters on his/her adventure.  Have the students use felt, Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, etc. to complete their artwork.

Themes/holidays-

Mother’s Day- Read Are You My Mother?  Talks about ways the students know their Mother is theirs.  What makes your Mother special? How does she stand out?  Have students write a letter to their mother that might begin... “I know you are my mother because…” give examples such as:  because you make me oatmeal every morning, because you sing my favorite lullaby each night, because you snuggle me just right.

Other books about lost characters:

Little Lost Bat by Sandra Markle

Iceberg, The Lost Polar Bear by Margo Fallis

Lost and Found: Three Dog Stories by Jim Lamarche