Skateboard Mom [Hardcover]

Barbara Odanaka (Author), JoAnn Adinolfi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2004 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

You might expect a sister or brother to race off with your brand new skateboard, but your mom?! But that's just what happened. She grabbed the board and skated down the sidewalk, catching air and popping ollies.

It turns out this mom was a skateboarding queen in her day and the whole neighborhood is amazed at the tricks she can do. But there's just one problem. How is her son going to get the skateboard back?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-When an eight-year-old boy receives a skateboard as a birthday present, he also gets a big surprise. A gleam appears in his mother's eye and before he knows what's happening, she puts on a helmet and skips out the door to take a spin on his new set of wheels. As his friends look on aghast, Mom zips down the sidewalk and performs ollies and spins. When her son asks her to return his gift, she is so "skateboard crazed" that she does not reply. He tries to bargain with her but to no avail. At this point Dad explains that Mom is a skateboard champion: she even glided down the aisle at their wedding. The boy immediately knows what to do. He grabs his piggy bank, buys a skateboard for her, and asks her to teach him how to ride. They begin to roll away when Granny yells, "Stop!" and takes the youngster's board with a gleam in her eye. Done in gouache, watercolor, and colored pencils, the dynamic, quirky illustrations capture the energy and humor of this rhyming tale.
Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Barbara Odanaka was a member of the Hobie amateur skateboard team as a kid and is the founder of the International Society of Skateboarding Moms.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399238670
• ISBN-13: 978-0399238673
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #399,733 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi!

My name is Barbara Odanaka.

I am a children's book author, skateboarder and founder of the 501c3 nonprofit Skateboard Moms.

Before I wrote for children, I was a sports reporter at the Los Angeles Times. I decided to switch careers when I found I had a difficulty writing sports stories without rhyming!

In 1994, my husband and I backpacked around the world on $30 a day. We scuba dived with sharks in Fiji, trekked through the Himalayas in Nepal, and sat with mountain gorillas in central Africa.

Today, I channel my energies into fun and lively books for children who like a lot of imagination in their reading. My latest book, A Crazy Day At The Critter Cafe, features a skateboarding cow. I have been having lots of fun visiting schools, libraries and skateboard parks dressed as Skateboard Cow!

You can find out more about my books and me by visiting my website, www.skateboardmom.com

Thanks and happy reading!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book a big hit at our story time!, November 9, 2004

By 

G. Ross "Library Mom" (SLO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Skateboard Mom (Hardcover)

This is a fabulous read aloud book. The text is very rhythmic and the rhymes are very natural sounding. Whenever it is checked in, I invariablly have a kid grab it and ask me to read it at our local library story time.

Oh, the story is good too. It makes kids thing about what their mom did prior to having kids--that maybe once she was cool.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for moms and kids, February 23, 2007

By 

Educating Rita (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Skateboard Mom (Hardcover)

I originally borrowed this book from the library and read it to my five-year-old and two-year-old (both girls) and they loved it. It's well-written (fun rhymes and easy to follow) and the graphics are great, too. I especially love that the story shows women who are "cool" and unconventional - it proves moms can get in on the fun, too. In fact, I liked it so much I bought a copy for my daughter's preschool and for our house library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift!!!!, December 14, 2009

By 

Tracy L. Mcgrenaghan (Greenland, NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Skateboard Mom (Hardcover)

I was searching for a Secret Santa gift from my son's 2nd grade friend. Books were requested for the children and his friend is in to skateboarding. I did a search and this book came up. I am so pleased I was able to find such a great gift! It is well-written with bright and fun illustration. It shows children that mothers have a really fun side to them too! I was able to email the author, Barbara Odanaka, with questions and she was so kind to reply promptly. I am looking forward to purchasing and reading more of her books!!!