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Mama Says: A Book of Love for Mothers and Sons
Two-time Caldecott Medalists Leo and Diane Dillon bring to life these words of wisdom about living life with compassion and courage. Written in rhyming text, this is a "must have" for every family.
Gentle, but powerful life lessons spoken to a child, delivered with a mother's immutable love. Stunning illustrations will leave readers breathless and deeply moved. Never heavy-handed, Mama Says teaches the universal importance of kindness, sharing, diligence, and faith, along with the importance of courage and a willingness to always try your best. Here is the perfect gift book for any mother--as a baby gift, a holiday gift, a birthday gift, a Mother's Day gift, or just as a way to say "I love you."
Gentle, but powerful life lessons spoken to a child, delivered with a mother's immutable love. Stunning illustrations will leave readers breathless and deeply moved. Never heavy-handed, Mama Says teaches the universal importance of kindness, sharing, diligence, and faith, along with the importance of courage and a willingness to always try your best. Here is the perfect gift book for any mother--as a baby gift, a holiday gift, a birthday gift, a Mother's Day gift, or just as a way to say "I love you."
32 pages, Library Binding
First published April 1, 2009
About the author
Rob D. Walker
7 books4 followersRob Walker writes the Consumed column for The New York Times Magazine, and is the author of the new book
Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are
. His site is Murketing.com."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
May 7, 2012
A beautiful book! Love the concept; as my friend Abigail said in her review, it's "a multicultural extravaganza of maternal love" :-) Twelve mothers and sons from rich and diverse cultures are represented here, yet all share a similar love for their sons and a desire to see them grow into wise, kind and strong men. It was educational (and really neat!) to see a variety of languages represented, from those I had heard of before like Arabic and Japanese, to those less well known (at least, for those of us in the US) like Amharic (spoken throughout Ethiopia) to Quechua (and indigenous language of the Andean region of South America).
The illustrations by the Dillons are just amazing. I love their work and this is no exception. The cultural differences in setting, attire, etc. are so beautifully done yet each shows such a universal bond between mother and son. I was a bit unsure if these were all supposed to be set in modern times or if some were from the past, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story. I would have loved, in addition to the helpful note about the languages, more information about the setting, particular religious or cultural significance of the attire and other aspects, but that is just me wanting to soak up as much information as I can and not a criticism of the book :-)
All in all, highly recommended!
The illustrations by the Dillons are just amazing. I love their work and this is no exception. The cultural differences in setting, attire, etc. are so beautifully done yet each shows such a universal bond between mother and son. I was a bit unsure if these were all supposed to be set in modern times or if some were from the past, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story. I would have loved, in addition to the helpful note about the languages, more information about the setting, particular religious or cultural significance of the attire and other aspects, but that is just me wanting to soak up as much information as I can and not a criticism of the book :-)
All in all, highly recommended!
April 8, 2009
This book is wonderful, beautiful and fantastic in many ways. First of all, you've got Leo & Diane Dillon illustrating; always a plus. Second, each page of verse is translated into the language that is spoken by the protaganists in the illustrations. Next, the poem that makes up the text is lovely, not pretentious in any way, and heartwarming. Finally (and I know I already mentioned the Dillons, but I have to add this) the illustrations are gorgeous. The mamas in each picture are so comforting and compassionate that you can feel the love they have for their sons coming off the page; and the closing spread is just perfect.
March 27, 2020
A multicultural extravaganza of maternal love, Mama Says pairs Rob D. Walker's rhyming text - in which a series of twelve mothers offer advice and guidance to their young sons - with Leo and Diane Dillon's gorgeous illustrations. Each two-page spread features a different mother and son from around the world, depicted in both a full-page plate and half-page portrait, and some brief words of wisdom, in English and whichever language the pair in question would speak.
The result is a visually stunning book that emphasizes the central importance of mothers in the growth of young men, their development into full human beings. With mothers and sons from India and Japan, and text in Amharic, Quechua and Russian (to name just a few), this lovely book also demonstrates the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of our world. An informative afterword gives further details on each language. Highly recommended! I can only hope that another collection - Fathers and Daughters perhaps? - will be forthcoming...
The result is a visually stunning book that emphasizes the central importance of mothers in the growth of young men, their development into full human beings. With mothers and sons from India and Japan, and text in Amharic, Quechua and Russian (to name just a few), this lovely book also demonstrates the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of our world. An informative afterword gives further details on each language. Highly recommended! I can only hope that another collection - Fathers and Daughters perhaps? - will be forthcoming...
January 5, 2012
I am the author of this book. I would like to thank each reader and everyone who had an opinion. I respect them all. Writing this book was a person journey. My mother and grandparents raised my siblings and I. It was tough and beautiful all at once. A GOOD MOTHER OR MOTHER FIGURE is the glue in a man's life. A good mother teaches man how to love, respect and cherish women. I am writing more books and can't wait to see the world reaction. Visit : www.robdwalkerbooks.weebly.com and www.robdwalker.weebly.com. Thanks again.
November 29, 2019
Absolutely beautiful with teachings from mothers of various cultures and their wisdom in English and languages like Cherokee, Amharic, and Japanese. The illustrations are spectacular too.
May 18, 2012
This book is better than amazing, it is marvelous : -).
Walker, Dillon, Dillon, and a team of translators came together to create a book that displays the mother-son bond in twelve different cultures. For each culture, there is a beautifully illustrated scene of a mother a son surrounded by and dressed in articles from their culture. Additionally, a verse highlights a teaching or a saying from the mother to the son in English and in the language of their culture. While this book captures the differences and uniqueness of each culture, all twelve cultures are unified by a mother’s desire for her son to be bright, strong, kind, honest, courageous, and happy.
I recommend this book to all mothers and sons.
Walker, Dillon, Dillon, and a team of translators came together to create a book that displays the mother-son bond in twelve different cultures. For each culture, there is a beautifully illustrated scene of a mother a son surrounded by and dressed in articles from their culture. Additionally, a verse highlights a teaching or a saying from the mother to the son in English and in the language of their culture. While this book captures the differences and uniqueness of each culture, all twelve cultures are unified by a mother’s desire for her son to be bright, strong, kind, honest, courageous, and happy.
I recommend this book to all mothers and sons.
April 28, 2016
Age: preschool
Media: oil
Illustrators Style: the large format of the book help accentuate the beautiful and loving connections of mother and son in each culture
Twelve different mothers from twelve different regions of the world teach their sons universal lessons in life which lead them to become men. Although these children’s appearances vary from the one of the reader/listener, their day-to-day activities are collectively experienced throughout the world. Accompanying each picture is the culture’s language, a picture of its own to eyes accustomed to the Roman alphabet.
The poetic form of the verse allow an easy and harmonious read.
Media: oil
Illustrators Style: the large format of the book help accentuate the beautiful and loving connections of mother and son in each culture
Twelve different mothers from twelve different regions of the world teach their sons universal lessons in life which lead them to become men. Although these children’s appearances vary from the one of the reader/listener, their day-to-day activities are collectively experienced throughout the world. Accompanying each picture is the culture’s language, a picture of its own to eyes accustomed to the Roman alphabet.
The poetic form of the verse allow an easy and harmonious read.
January 27, 2011
This book's use of repetition amongst numerous cultures and languages is what makes it great. Each section includes words in English and then the same motherly advice written in another language, providing a cool side-by-side comparison for children. Each section also contains two similar and color pictures depicting a mother and son doing various things together in ethnic garb. Each written section includes motherly advice, finishing with pictures of each young boy as an adult at the end of the book. This text would be a great opener to a multicultural unit or a discussion about languages and human commonalities.
May 10, 2012
This was a beautiful book. Perfect for mother's day. The illustrations were great, and the diversity was even better. I like how each mom said things that seemed like something someone in that time in that culture would say. And I loved the ending. Great book. By the third page my 3 year old was already saying, Mama says. And the different languages just added to it. Loved this book. I got it from the library, but I would want it to own. So I will go and purchase it next week.
June 9, 2009
This book gave me chills. Illustrated with dignity and beauty by the Dillons, the book incorporates many peoples and many languages. The text can be spoken by any boy/man in any nation. The afterward page gives additional information about each language included in this books, acknowledging the language experts that contributed to this gem.
June 22, 2012
A beautiful book. The Dillons gorgeous illustrations picture 12 cultures where a mother is passing words of wisdom on to her son. In my rush to catch up with the picture book reading for the Childrens Book group, I hadn't looked at the back cover until I read the posting about it and then I was blown away by the face made from all the sons pictured.
February 20, 2011
I love this book. BEAUTIFUL illustrations and rhymed in such a way that I hear Wallace repeating it to himself, which is GREAT because of the marvelous lessons it teaches about being a good person.
January 30, 2021
The diversity in this book is so great, obviously. But to also include multiple translations in varying languages (with brief descriptions) is amazing! I loved the mesmerizing illustrations that gave me glimpses of other cultures. My only negative is the mention of God and faith in a very Biblical sense.
November 26, 2022
A gorgeous picture book of wisdom framed as advice from loving mothers to their adoring sons. Parents and children of various faiths and from many nations are illustrated beautifully. The book culminates with the sons having adhered to their mothers' advice and growing into men as a result. As a boy mom twice over this book melted my heart.
May 10, 2017
Different mothers from different cultures teaching their sons. The teaching is in English and the various languages. Very sweet. My 5 yr old wanted to know where the "red, white, & blue" was! :)
5/10/17 Read with Naomi & Julia.
5/10/17 Read with Naomi & Julia.
November 2, 2017
Lovely book to read with my son. Specific encouragement from mothers to their sons, in their own tongue and with the flavor of their unique culture. Excellent illustrations. Promotes cultural awareness.
June 7, 2018
A beautiful book...written in English and many other languages. With words of wisdom and advice and guidance from a mother to a son. Beautiful words, illustrations and so lovely to see other languages written.
September 2, 2018
Words of wisdom and life lessons from mothers all over the world. Each page shares the wisdom in English and a different language as well. The illustrations show mothers and sons from all over the world. The last page shows those sons as adult men - all different but alike in so many ways.
January 3, 2019
I didn’t realize that this had so many different cultures and languages included. Each picture gives a short snippet of a mother’s advice to her son, through many different areas of the world. Loved that the pieces were written both in English and in the language of the people represented.
February 3, 2019
Beautiful book. The multicultural aspects are enhanced by the inclusion of the various languages. The afterward and thanks are helpful explanations. ... then you read the text again with a new perspective.
Not just for mothers and sons.
Not just for mothers and sons.
Read
November 22, 2021Tihs books shows the importance of wisdom from mothers. Mothers are one of the key teachers to a child life. in this book the mother teachers her child about the importance of kindness, sharing, diligence, and faith, and courage. Also she states the importance about being true to yourself.
November 28, 2016
I like that each page portrays a different culture, but the book is only mothers talking to sons. I wish it had a more diverse array of children.
August 7, 2017
This book has pictures and lessons representing many cultures.
June 21, 2018
Such a wonderful multi-lingual aspect with simple direct poems and amazing illustrations.
January 30, 2019
This book was so beautiful. The imagery, the languages, the meaning... I can't praise it enough.
December 31, 2020
A celebration of different cultures and the bonds between mothers and sons. Definitely want to own this book and also send it off with my boys when they go out into the wider world.
March 2, 2021
Beautiful words and rhymes. The illustrations are fantastic.
June 21, 2026
My Aunt Betsy gave me this book!
December 28, 2023
This is exactly what it said it was, a book for mothers and sons. It was sweet and creative and introduced different languages. I would absolutely recommend this book.
May 31, 2012
Mama Says: A Book Of Love For Mothers And Sons by Rob D. Walker, illustrated by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon is a collaboration honoring loving mothers who work hard to encourage their sons with advice and precepts that will help them to become strong, compassionate, intelligent men.
As I write this review, I have recently learned of the sudden death of Leo Dillon. Children's Literature is richer for his artistry, but now poorer for his absence.
The Dillon's artistry is superb in this collaboration, as they portray twelve different sets of mothers and sons, each in clothing of their respective countries. They draw an amazing mother's face from the twelve faces of the different children. A two page spread of each child as a grown man is the final image.
Walker's brief poem for each pair is written both in English and the native language spoken by the mother and son. Languages shown are Cherokee, Russian, Amharic, Japanese, Hindi, Inuktitut, Hebrew, English, Korean, Arabic, Quechua, and Danish. The poems emphasize the universal love of mothers for their sons, and their devotion to seeing them become faithful, sharing, compassionate, intelligent, courageous, strong men. This is recommended for school and public library collections.
For ages five and up, poetry, mothers, sons, character, multicultural, families, love, affirmation, languages, and fans of Rob D. Walker and Leo and Diane Dillon.
As I write this review, I have recently learned of the sudden death of Leo Dillon. Children's Literature is richer for his artistry, but now poorer for his absence.
The Dillon's artistry is superb in this collaboration, as they portray twelve different sets of mothers and sons, each in clothing of their respective countries. They draw an amazing mother's face from the twelve faces of the different children. A two page spread of each child as a grown man is the final image.
Walker's brief poem for each pair is written both in English and the native language spoken by the mother and son. Languages shown are Cherokee, Russian, Amharic, Japanese, Hindi, Inuktitut, Hebrew, English, Korean, Arabic, Quechua, and Danish. The poems emphasize the universal love of mothers for their sons, and their devotion to seeing them become faithful, sharing, compassionate, intelligent, courageous, strong men. This is recommended for school and public library collections.
For ages five and up, poetry, mothers, sons, character, multicultural, families, love, affirmation, languages, and fans of Rob D. Walker and Leo and Diane Dillon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews