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		Mama Love written and illustrated by Kathy Mallat 2004 Walker HC $15.95, $24.95 Canada ISBN 0-8027-8902-1 RTE $16.85, $26.95 Canada ISBN 0-8027-8904-8 Category: Picture Book/Family		Free Bookmarks
	"Click on me," and I'll surprise you. To see the art as it progresses click this black and white sketch.
	I love my Mama. She is everything to me, the rays of my sunshine, the roots of my tree.
The Cover that Wasn't
First Cover Attempt		The first cover had a blue sky. But changing it to the full rainforest brings out the baby's face. The first baby chimp looks more like a frightened baby clinging to mama; not so with the final cover. The baby's face on the final cover connects directly with the reader. The final cover exudes warmth and love.		Final Cover
		Click on these two drawings to see them larger
Steps in How the Art Was Made
Research Research Research Kathy Mallat did so much research to assure the accuracy of the chimps, the chimp behavior, and the rainforest, it seemed like she was right in the rainforest.
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Reviews
"A wonderful choice for story times." School Library Journal March 2004 PreS-Gr 2 -With a gentle rhyming text and exquisite artwork, this picture book describes the affection shared by a mother chimpanzee and her child: "My mama loves me. / I'm the twinkle in her eye, / her heart's pitter-patter, / her star in the sky." The lush illustrations, done in oil pastels and colored pencils, show the two animals as they cuddle together, share food, and enjoy one another's company. The lively illustrations depict lush features of the chimps' forest habitat. A wonderful choice for story times, this book could also supplement Mother's Day fare. - Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CA
www.schoollibraryjournal.com
"Little chimps of the human variety will willingly crawl into a parental lap to share this visual and verbal hug." Feb 15, 2004 Kirkus Reviews Despite opening with a frame just the right size for a baby picture, followed by big, close-up paintings of a mother chimpanzee in the wild holding, carrying, grooming, and otherwise showing devotion to her child, this makes a less sappy variant than usual on the "how much do you love me?" genre. Capturing natural-looking poses and gestures, Mallat often depicts both chimps looking up from the page, inviting viewers to share the love, and composes the brief, rhymed text with more attention to the sound of the words than their comprehensibility to young children: "My Mama loves me. / I'm her absolute delight. / She guards me and protects / me through each day and night." Little chimps of the human variety will willingly crawl into a parental lap to share this visual and verbal hug. (Picture book 2-4)
www.kirkusreviews.com
"Lushly illustrated" Shooting Stars - Fabulous new books for children of all ages The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County May 9, 2004 Lushly illustrated, this picture book depicts the loving relationship between a mother chimpanzee and her child. Mother and child are shown eating and snuggling together in the great forest in which they live. The mother's tender care and devotion to her child is evident in the many pictures showing her carrying and embracing her child. For toddlers through grade one.
www.cincinnatilibrary.org
"The jungle scenes and the animals come alive...An excellent choice for story time." 2004 Education Oasis Children's Book Reviews In this simple, rhyming tale a young chimpanzee tells of the love, protection, and caring his mother bestows upon him. In addition, Mama is "quite inventive, strong, and brave, and very attentive." In return, the chimp loves his mama: "She is the twinkle in my eye, my heart's pitter-patter . . . my star in the sky." The illustrations, done in oil pastels and colored pencils, are outstanding. A plethora of lush greens, blues, and browns flow off the pages, making the jungle scenes and the animals come alive. Each double-page spread contains a phrase or a sentence in big, bold type. An excellent choice for story time. Perfect also for Mother's Day.
www.educationoasis.com
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