I don't have much time to write, since I just finished a sponsored blog post and then realized that it is already midnight! But I did want to mention, before I forget, this cute book I got in the library yesterday.
You've probably read, or at least heard of, a book called Are You My Mother? In it, a baby bird hatches from his egg and finds himself all alone. He sets out to search for his mother. He asks a kitten, a cow, a dog, a hen, and even a car, a boat, a plane and a steam shovel, if they are his mother. Each tells him (well, I don't remember if the car and boat and plane and steam shovel can talk, but the animals can) that they are not his mother. Finally, the bird makes it back to his nest, where he finds his actual mother, who is, of course, a bird! The baby bird happily says, "You are bird, and you are my mother!"
It is definitely a sweet book, if you don't look too deeply into it. But in this day and age of families where everyone may or may not look like each other, you may like A Mother For Choco even better! In this story, a twist on Are You My Mother, another baby bird (named Choco) finds herself alone in the world, and goes out to find her mother. Like the first baby bird, Choco goes from animal to animal and asks if each animal is her mother. She finds a giraffe, a penguin, and a grouchy walrus, but each tells her that, since they obviously do not look like her, they cannot be her mother.
Finally, poor little Choco begins to cry, "Mommy! Mommy!" Her sobs are heard by Mrs. Bear, who comes to comfort Choco. She asks Choco what a mother would do to comfort her. When Choco replies that a mother would pick her up, give her a kiss, and sing to her, Mrs. Bear does all of these things for Choco. Then, Mrs. Bear suggests that maybe she can be Choco's mother!
Choco is surprised by this, because Mrs. Bear is definitely not a mother bird. But then Mrs. Bear takes Choco home to meet her other children... who are an alligator, a hippo, and a pig! The story ends with Mrs. Bear giving all of her children a special "bear hug," and with Choco realizing that Mrs. Bear is the perfect mother just the way she is.
I didn't set out to get a book about families. I picked out this book in a hurry, while Pufferfish ran around and terrorized the library (... in a related story, Sarah was with me and I was attempting to help her print out her homework from a computer in the adult section, but we actually got asked to leave the adult section because Pufferfish was not using her indoor voice..._) because it had animals in it, and short sentences, so I figured both Pufferfish and Little Bear would like it. I didn't expect it to be so heartwarming! We are a multicultural family and also a family that includes adopted and non-blood-related members, so the book was perfect for us... and would also be perfect for any family that wants its' children to realize that it is love, not looks, that make a family.
Okay. This is totally not a sponsored post. I really did just find this book in the library yesterday, and I read it to Pufferfish before bed! I'll write more tomorrow... until then, have fun and be careful!
