Mommy Go Away

by Lynne Jonell, Petra Mathers (Illustrator)

Tired of his mother's demands, Christopher tells his Mommy to be small and then sets her adrift in the bathtub in a toy boat-an experience that reminds her that it's not always easy when you're little. Full-color illustrations.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Lynne Jonell is an author (and occasional illustrator) of sixteen books for children, from picture books to novels for ages 8-12, all with an element of fantasy: magical hamsters, talking cats, tiny planes with a secret fuel, rodents with special powers, and more. Her novel Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat won the Minnesota Book Award; her latest book, The Sign of the Cat, is a swashbuckling sea adventure. Coming in 2018 is Far Sight, Deep Time, a time-travel novel set at her ancestral castle in Scotland.

Her books have received starred reviews in Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Sesame Street Parents, and have been published in nine languages. She teaches writing at the Loft Literary Center, is married and has two sons, and lives in Plymouth, Minnesota.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/lynnej...

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, a young boy is annoyed with his mother. She keeps telling him what to do. In his imagination he shrinks his mother and sends her on a boat with some other mothers. She does not like being small, and asks her son to rescue her. He rescues her and eventually makes her big again. At the end of the story, both the mother and the son are happy with each other.
The illustrations for this book are stick figures. The drawing style is very similar to the way a child would draw. For this reason, children will easily relate to the book. The colors are very basic, yet very appropriate. There is not much detail in the drawings, but it is not necessary.
This story is best for reading to an individual child. The illustrations are not bright enough to share with a large group of children.

[Apryl McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most important lesson in this book is that it is HARD being little and boy isn't that the truth! Mommy just wants her little one to pick up and get ready for bed, but she learns that it is hard to be a little when you have to follow so many rules. This sweet story ends with a hug and hopefully a little more understanding of what it is like to be a little one.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tale is a bit strange, but cute, and shows how we all can get a bit wrapped up in the details and routine of the day, and that we are often telling our children all day long what to do. Our kiddos often feel a bit bossed around and powerless and would sometimes like to have some power over us. The illustrations are a bit rudimentary, but it feels more like a child's story that way. We enjoyed reading this story together.

"Oh, all right," said Christopher.
"You have been a good mommy.
You can be big again."
"Oh, good," said Mommy.
"It is hard to be so small."
"I know that already," said Christopher.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concept fascinated Law, I disliked the art.

[olivia kathleen, (: · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book when i was little and i have loved it ever since!

[Karen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my very favorites.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an odd, but cute story.