Customer Reviews

Mars Needs Moms!

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Breathed's art typically makes one, well, breathless. Here, with Mars Needs Moms, one becomes weightless with wonder at his drawing abilities. He's in as good of form as ever -- or better -- with this wonderful mix of humans and extra-extra terrestrials. While the art and story are literally out this world, the storyline is very earth-bound: families are so easily taken for granted, but nothing matters more in this or any other world. Breathed suggests it take a Martian's eye-view to keep us properly grounded. Nice to think about, but the real treat here is for the eyes. My son and I still periodically go back to Fudwapper and Wish for Wings that work; this surely is another opus for Breathed.

I loved, I mean L-O-V-E-D this book. So did my kids. I cried. They cried. We read it again and cried again. It is obvious that Breathed has stepped into parenthhood with his heart wide open. He has touched a nerve here that every parent can relate to -- unconditional love. BRAVO to Breathed. Will there be an an encore?? We hope so!

Having been a fan of Berkeley Breathed's since high school and his BLOOM COUNTY days, I was excited to find this picture book about the relationship between a boy and his mom. As the mother of twin boys, I can understand being on the receiving end of feelings similar to Milo's. The story was funny and ultimately moved me to tears. And of course, Breathed's pictures are phenomenal, characterized by his unique style and attention to detail. When I read the book with my 11-year-old boys, both of whom love to draw and dream of being comic book artists, they were very impressed with the artwork and spent time on each page, searching all of the pictures to be sure they didn't miss any elements.

With Mother's Day just around the corner, this is the perfect book for the mom in your life, especially if she has sons.

I sent this book to my mother thinking she would enjoy sharing it with her grandkids. She left me a voice mail telling me how much SHE loved the illustrations and the story. She said it made a GREAT mothers day gift:). I have since sent it to 3 other moms.

During storytime at Barnes & Noble this morning, the storyteller read this book in preparation for Mother's Day. Towards the end, I was actually tearing up and had to look away from the book lest I embarrass myself in front of the other mothers who were there.

I loved this story, the storyline is creative starting with a boy who doesn't appreciate his mother at all through the progression of his fears that his mother was abducted, to the ultimate sacrifice his mother made for him in the end. It's a life lesson for this little boy, however young he is, and his heart grows tremendously by the end of the story to show his gratefulness towards his mother. The aliens learn a lesson in love as well at the end of the story.

The illustrations in this book is fantastic, with great detail and a sense of realistic visual impact to the readers. The colors are very vibrant and use of muted colors as well as bright colors are perfectly controlled to give this story an artistic rendition and a sense that you can even be in it along side the characters. This is a very touching book and I recommend this to all mothers, young and old.

If you are a Berkeley Breathed fan, you will enjoy this.
Its a wonderful children's picture book, full of colorful, zany paintings. Readers of any age will be enchanted by the illustrations.
Its about a mother's sacrifice for her child. Very Heartwarming

*SPOILER ALERT* There is a dark situation in this adventure. The mother could die. She doesnt. Everything ends fine, but some may feel that the tension may be too much for their little ones.

I think it brings up a difficult subject for discussion with your children.

Berk Breathed homes in on the bare essence of being a mother: the unequivocal and extraordinary willingness to die for another human being -- her child. In the real world, though this is not usually tested in the strictest sense, it is proven in many derivative ways. Moms may be only human, and have many flaws, but they are all willing to take a bullet for their children, and show this by sacrificing in myriad and fundamental ways that may not be entirely obvious to us growing up. This amazing and beautiful truth is distilled in Breathed's funny and poignant book, in the form of a parable-fantasy whose power will move the hardest reader to tears -- followed by a hug or a phone call (depending on one's proximity to one's mom).

"Mothers. Milo often wondered what was so special about them."

Thus begins Mars Needs Moms!, by Berkeley Breathed. Milo has to do chores, and go to bed, and... who needs moms, anyway?

But Milo's town is visited by Martian raiders: "They don't have mothers on Mars, you know. Martians grow motherless from the ground like potatoes."

Milo's mom is netted and kidnapped, and Milo sneaks aboard. Why do they need his mom?

He finds out. And he finds out even more when his mom says to him, "I'll love you to the ends of the universe."

I heard an NPR broadcast that I thought said this book was going to be controversial because of how it ends. Maybe some people missed the last page, or read something else into it. I thought it was the perfect ending for a great children's story.

Breathed's art style was "Bloom County/Opus" style throughout, with a nifty "3-D" technique that gives the illustrations a depth. And the detail is intriguing... don't forget to catch the name of the map as the Martians beehive it for home.

And if you are without a young one to read to... send a copy to your mom!

I was with my 3 y/o son in Barnes & Noble and picked up this book because I love Bloom County & Opus. I thought it was a fun, lively book until I got to the part where Milo breaks his space helmet and his mother unflinchingly gives him hers. I welled up with tears and managed to get through the rest of the book.

I purchased it for Mother's Day. My wife loved it although she started crying at the same point I did. I told her I loved her for all the sacrifices she makes on a daily basis.

This book will be an instant classic in your household. The artwork is great, there are plenty of funny "Easter Eggs" throughout, and the storytelling is great. You will not be disappointed!

Perhaps I bought Mars Needs Moms! not so much for the great reviews, but because of a 30 something's nostalgia for the uproariously funny Bloom County. Yet as every parent knows, the acid test of any children's book is the frequency of the request at bedtime. By that standard, for my kids at least, Mars Needs Moms! is a winner! Not only does my 5 1/2 year-old enjoy it, often sitting around reading it to herself, but my three year old finds it equally delightful.

Looking across space at earth, motherless Martians realize at last what their Red Planet lacks - Moms! To fill this void, they journey to earth with a big net in order to nab a few of those magical creatures.

Breathed's art, which ranges from rich pastel painting to charcoal sketches, brings this book to life. Nor does he neglect the story, which parents and children alike will enjoy. All of that, combined with a wonderful lesson about the real value of parents -- more than just veggie Chuffers -- makes this a must have for every kids book shelf!