Are You My Mother?

Happy Mother's Day!

P. D. Eastman was a remarkable man as artist, author, creator.  His talent was recognized and nurtured by Theo Geisel himself.  As I look over his list of published work, I count many of my childhood favorites among them.  But his books stand the test of sentimentality, for I have read them to my children.  They love them, and read them to their younger siblings.  That they will read them to their children, I have no doubt.  My thirteen-year-old cleaned her bookshelf yesterday, and saved two of P. D. Eastman's books:  they were not put in the charity pile, nor even the home library pile, but the keep-it-in-my-room-a-little-longer pile.  Are You My Mother? was one of those books.

 I have recently read several articles and reviews of this book which over analyze the search for a missing mother and the failure of the baby bird to imprint on a parent.  Are You My Mother? is a simple story with a simple message.   And my simple message today is read to your kids.  I pity the few who can't accept this story on its own terms, for they are missing out on the blessing of the bigger picture.  Search the comments of the thousands on whom this book has left an indelible impression.  They remember what it is like to think like a child.

Did you know this book was made into a musical for elementary students?


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You are not my mother.  You are a Snort.