Customer Reviews

Where's Our Mama?: Ou Est Maman? (Red Fox Picture Books)

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

 

 

I used to get this book out of the library EVERY WEEK about 6 years ago in Australia. My two boys then 2 1/2 and 8 months LOVED this book (especially the two year old). We moved away from that library and I have never been able to track the book down, until I bought Tiger Trouble (by Diane Goode) and recognised the illustrations. The book we had also had the story in French at the bottom of the page, and I would read that to them too. It is a delightful story that kids seem to instantly identify with. They are so happy and relieved at the end when the children find their mother and they love looking for her in all the pictures. It is such a shame that this book is out of print as it should be a classic! I'm trying to get it from amazon.co.uk as well, as they may be able to find me the one with the French in it too. If I get two, it won't matter as I know it would make a wonderful gift to any child.

My family loves this book about lost children and a friendly policeman who search for their mama. It works on several levels: 1.) Language repetition for the child -( but not boring for the adult.) 2.) Hide and seek visual interest as we see mama looking for her children who are looking for her. 3.) Logic as the policeman follows the children's clues about their mama. 4.) Public safety as a positive presentation of whom to trust for help when lost. 5.) Plus it all starts in a lovely French railroad station for children who love trains. Amazingly, I have not been able to order this book through retail stores. (I got it from the library). Perhaps if more people discover this delightful read, the publishers will make it available again.

I could appreciate what was attempted here. When two children are separated from their mother at a train station, a gendarme helps them find her. The children try to describe characteristics of their mother (i.e. brave, beautiful, lovely voice, fantastic cook, etc.) instead of what she actually *looks* like, which leads the gendarme to all sorts of places other than the train station, looking for women that match these characteristics (i.e. lion tamer, opera singer, etc). It's a cute idea, and a great way to introduce children to different job types, etc., (though, I could be a little afraid that some of it could be taken the wrong way to some who hold those careers).

There really wasn't a whole lot else to the story, but the illustrations were fun and whimsical! And visual children (like I was... am) will enjoy the multitude of illustrations!

This is a story about two children who's mother leaves them to find her hat. When she does not return they call for a cop who shows them all different kinds of women who are not their mother. When they finally find her they are relieved.