My Mama Earth

PreS-Gr 2—This simple, lyrical poem celebrates both Mother Nature and the love between a mother and child. Each rhyming couplet begins with "My mama…" and appears alongside rich, textured, gouache, full-spread illustrations of a small boy enjoying the world around him. Some of the rhymes could apply to both hardworking human mothers and Mother Earth, e.g., "My mama plants/the tiny seeds./She grows the flowers,/pulls the weeds" and "My mama sets her magic free./And makes a warm, safe home for me." However, other spreads are particular to honoring nature solely: "My mama paints/the ocean creatures./Adorning them with brilliant features." Though all along the "mother" depicted is a spiritual, goddesslike feminine figure who blends into the sun, the waves, the trees, and the mountains, the mother holding the boy in the final spread is a mortal one. The book beautifully depicts Mother Nature as the world's creator with intricate, ethereal paintings. However, adults may not be comfortable using this imagery to depict a mother's unconditional love.—Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL