Mama's Perfect Present [Hardcover]

Diane Goode (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996 | Age Level: 3 and up

Two children and their crazy canine, Zaza, go in search of the perfect gift for their mother in Paris and, along the way, wreak havoc at each boutique and flower stand they visit, until Zaza finally discovers the place where the perfect present awaits.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Two sisters take their affable dachshund Zaza on a Paris shopping spree in search of the perfect birthday gift for their mama. Zaza cavorts behind the girls, creating disorder at every turn as they wander through a bakery, a flower shop, and a shoe store. Finally they decide on a gift mama is sure to like--something homemade. (Ages 5 to 9)

From Publishers Weekly

Mayhem? Mais oui! The rosy-cheeked children who searched Paris high and low in Where's Our Mama? are back?and this time they are on a quest to find the ideal birthday gift for their dear mother. Accompanied by a beguiling but boisterous dachshund named Zaza, the kids take to the streets, cheerfully oblivious to the chaos Zaza creates in their wake. After a visit from these young shoppers, cakes topple at the bakery, flowers fly at the florist and the shoes are in a shambles at the shoe store. At last the kids follow Zaza's lead to the perfect selection?something not store-bought, but homemade. Goode's uncluttered text is the framework for a Parisian adventure awash in authentic City of Light atmosphere. From signage to doorways to shop windows, her architectural detail hits the mark. The knobby-kneed protagonists radiate sweetness and their personable pet could melt any reader's heart. Goode's latest will leave young readers chuckling at Zaza's exploits and everyone else clucking an appreciative ooh-la-la. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525454934
• ISBN-13: 978-0525454939
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,613,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Diane Goode was born in Brooklyn, New York into a French and Italian family. She has a BA in Fine Arts from Queens College. She studied at Les Beaux Arts in Aix-en-Provence, has a High School teaching degree from NYC and taught book illustration at UCLA.

Diane Goode's list of picture 50 picture books include, 'When I Was Young In The Mountains', for which she won the Caldecott Honor. She is also the recipient of numerous awards including two Platinum Oppenheim Toy Awards, and Parents' Choice Awards.

Her most recent publications are: CINDERELLA SMITH, by Stephanie Barden, LOUISE THE BIG CHEESE series, by Elise Primavera and MY MOM IS TRYING TO RUIN MY LIFE and BUT I WANTED A BABY BROTHER, both by Kate Feiffer (A Paula wiseman Book, Simon& Schuster) 2008.

A member of the Society of Illustrators, she chaired the 2007 Original Art Show in Manhattan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an adventure!, September 3, 2000

By 

Shannon Ross (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mama's Perfect Present (Picture Books) (Paperback)

Two children and their dog set out to find THE perfect present for their mother. As we all know, finding the perfect present for a friend or relative can be quite an ordeal. The children visit many stores and find several lovely items that aren't quite what they want. Still, they search onward and we find out that the children have, in fact, found the perfect present for their mama.

This book's illustrations are fabulous. They are cheerful and soft looking. The children have such simple, yet sweet expressions. And, one of my favorite parts of this book is the spoof of George Seraut's "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

What a charming and delightful read! I also thoroughly enjoyed Where's our Mother? by Diane Goode.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the usual superb Diane Goode work!, August 4, 2002

By 

Catherine S. Vodrey (East Liverpool, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mama's Perfect Present (Library Binding)

I am a sucker for Diane Goode's books, and "Mama's Perfect Present" is no exception. A young Parisian brother and sister set out to make their mama's birthday absolutely perfect, but run into bits of trouble along the way. When they finally show up at home with their gift, it turns out to incorporate all the trouble they ran into in putting it together--but in a most charming and unusual way. I don't want to say anything more detailed or I'll give it away!

Not only is the story charming (with all loose strings nicely tied up by the end), but the illustrations are up to Goode's usual high standards. The coloring is soft and washed-looking. The story is set in perhaps the 1920s or 1930s in Paris, with all the women having sleek, marcelled hair, fur stoles, and ghillie shoes--and the men sporting dapper moustaches, trim suits, and perfectly manicured hands. It's a visual treat to watch the children bounce from store to store, taking in all the undeniably French atmosphere, made vivid and real-yet-idealized through Goode's luscious pictures.