Customer Reviews

Big Momma Makes the World

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I stumbled upon this book in the library and was charmed by this feminist revision to the usual Genesis story. It takes the Judeo-Christian creation tale, and both makes God a woman, ands tells the tale in a charming folksy Southern drawl that had me and my kids chuckling away. "That's good, that's real good!" the great Mother says of her handiwork.

I was surprised when I tried to buy the book off of Amazon, and got a completely different story without the fun Southern drawl! (Same pictures, different text!) I realized that Ms. Root must have written a British version of the story where a snappy Goddess proclaims "That's good, that's very very good!" among other Britishisms. This version was called "Big Mama makes the world" and I just want to warn those buying books to make sure they get the version they are hoping for. Neither of the books hints at the existence of the other.

This fabulous version of the creation story/myth has my almost three-year-old mezmerized. Big Momma, part goddess, part buddha (as admitted by the illustrator) single-handedly makes the world (although her dishes and laundry do pile up in the process). Her daily accomplishments mirror the Genesis story of creation but with a Root-endowed Southern drawl. If you are able to appreciate the gender change, this is a lovely, refreshing version of creation your child is sure to love. It is well-written and beautifully illustrated.

I am disappointed by the reviews that disparage this book. As someone trained in theology and deeply committed to a community of faith, I was encouraged to find a children's book that engaged theological questions, inviting young children to ask really powerful questions. I gave this to my five year old niece, and I have had the most compelling theological discussions with her after nighttime readings. The power of this book (beyond the illustrations) is its invitation. It does not aim at indoctrinating; instead, it demands something of the parent/person reading, something that perhaps the 'negative reviewers' do not want to do--think the big theological questions alongside their children.

The author and illustrator of this book do a masterful job of conveying a contemporary feminist spiritual message without becoming preachy or pedantic, thus making the story very appealing to children of all ages. The text rolls off the tongue with a poetic fluidity and the paintings are so engaging that you will find yourself reading this book to your little ones again and again.

First of all, I think it's a shame that you can negatively review a book you've never read, but I digress.

This book, like so many others of its type, gives children and parents a fun place to start dicussions of religion. We checked it out of the library and found it hilarious...my father was a minister, and thinks it's a pretty funny way to get his granddaughter asking questions about the world. For parents who enjoy a bit of fun and who are able to see the joy of God and the world in all his creations, this book is for you.

In the words of big momma: "it's real nice."

I really love this book, and so do my kids. It is a great spin on the creation story/myth...which there are so many out there. Cool to see a mama doing it.
Some have complained the "Big Momma" is white, but as I look thru the book she and the baby are actually what ever color is going on in the picture... green while making the grass, black while making the night, white while making the moon, and so on.
My kids love the baby. It is very sweet to watch what he/she is doing in all the pictures.
If you are a lover of a good myth story, this is a great one to add to your collection.

Heather mama of 5

I read this book for the first time a few weeks ago at a baby shower. It was amazing. I don't have children, so I don't get to experience the gems available to little ones very often but I must say this is probably now my favorite children's book.

I disagree with previous comments about the illustrations needing to be a black woman. Before reading that, I didn't realize that the character was white. I am a black woman of mixed heritage and I saw her and just saw a lighter, heavier version of myself. I felt the race was ambiguous enough based on the size of the body and the language. I think people will see who they want to see when reading this book. Maybe she could have been a little browner perhaps, but I felt she went well with this amazing story.

I've read some pretty fabulous books illustrated by Helen Oxenbury in my day. She's one of those rare artists that pay close attention to fine incomparable details. As for author Phyllis Root, I'd not had the pleasure of reading one her tales until I picked up "Big Momma Makes the World". Now I read reviews and descriptions of this book long before I saw it myself. These reviews would summarize the plot and even lift enjoyable passages from the text. I liked what I read and I liked that the reviewers liked what they read. It was with the greatest shock imaginable that I finally located this book and found, to my amazement, that Big Momma was a big white chick. Hunhuna? Now you might think it a bit prejudiced of me to have leapt to the conclusion that Big Momma, the godlike figure in this tale, was black but that's exactly what I did.

This story is a creation tale in its own right. In it, we follow Big Momma and her little baby as she creates a whole new world. She starts just like you'd expect a godlike figure to start. First there's water, then light, then dark. She makes the sun and the moon, "just in time for the little baby's nap", and then makes the earth itself. Then it's time to make fish and birds and (because the laundry started piling up) the rest of the animals are made with one Big Bang. Still, Big Momma is lonely and she has no one to talk to on her front porch at night. So out of the leftover mud comes a swarm of naked people (done in a tasteful style that is more than a little reminiscent of the late lamented Walt Kelly). In time, she takes her baby up with her into the sky and tells everyone in the world to behave because, "I'll be keeping an eye on you". And from time to time she still does. She and that little baby of hers.

Now Phyllis Root notes in her blurb that this story came out of a family car trip where she would tell Big Momma tales to entertain her kids. The story in and of itself has a swell feel to it. A kind of easy going vernacular that reminded me (in a way) of "Swamp Angel" by Anne Isaacs. The fact that the character is white confused me originally but I recovered. I suppose God could be a white woman too. Why not? But though I think Oxenbury threw everything she had into this tale, the pictures didn't spellbind me like her other books did. The baby in the story looked as if it had crawled straight out of her, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt". And though the animals are cute, they're nothing compared to her illustrations for the brilliant, "Farmer Duck" (written by M. Waddell). Though she's tossed every trick she has into its creation (the colors in this story are alone worth the price of admission) I had the nagging feeling that something was missing. I dunno.

I can see people becoming violent over this tale for a variety of different reasons. Some people are going to fall head-over-heels in love with it. They'll rejoice in the illustrations, the excellent text, and the progressive idea of a single mom creating the world (a thought I rather like too). Other people will recoil at the idea of God being reduced (in their eyes) to something so new and different. I personally had my expectations raised a little too high by Oxenbury's other books, so my own view of the story is slightly tainted. Nonetheless, this is an excellent book to read to little ones that need a benevolent creator in their lives. A highly entertaining and interesting lark.

My two year old daughter just loves this book. In the story, Big Mama creates a world in a very pragmatic and meaningful way. The words of the story fit well into the storytellers mouth and make the the book fun to read. I highly recommend this book and am very dissapointed by the negative reviews. I am going to buy it for every kid in my daughter's play group.

First of all, this is not a book for the American biblical literalist or her children--this is a story INSPIRED by the Hebrew Bible's creation story, sort of like a Midrash, if I understand that genre correctly. If you're looking for a Hebrew creation story telling that is not filtered through the lens of 21st century American culture, here's a tip: fly your family over to Israel, take your time machine back a few thousand years, stick around in Jerusalem for a few decades, and THEN proceed to read Genesis 1 to your grandchildren--in Hebrew. This story is NOT a parody, as one reviewer stated--it is simply a reframing of an old story. The role of "Elohim" (the Hebrew word assigned to God in Genesis 1--which is, by the way, plural) is assumed by Big Momma and her Baby. Together, they make the world in 6 days, following the same basic pattern outlined in the Genesis story. I think it's grand. I love creation stories and think they are wonderul to share with children.

My complaint, actually, is that the illustrations don't take it far enough. There are several that I really like. The rest are just a tad too bland for me--I mean this is CREATION we're talking about--I want to see broad strokes and bold colors! Maybe less ink outlining... And I so badly want Big Momma to be black or some other rich color--the white woman and her baby in this story just don't have the visual impact that a darker skinned Momma and baby would offer, and, as other reviewers have noted, the language of the text cries out for a more colorful (literally) lead character.

Still, I give this book 4 stars because I appreciate the humor and the originality of the story. I'm so grateful to be living in an age where we are free to explore alternative expressions of the old stories with our children. I applaud Phyllis Root's effort, and look forward to a new edition with even brighter, bolder illustrations...