Mommy, Carry Me Please!

Jane Cabrera's Story Time

by Jane Cabrera

From tiny 'roos to penguin chicks - and humans too! - babies love to be picked up.

Animal mothers of all kinds carry their babies in different ways. Mommy Hippo's baby is on her back. Mommy Lemur's baby is on her tummy. Mommy Monkey's baby is on her tail. And Human Mommy's baby is in her arms. With vibrantly-colored illustrations, this simple tale is a warm celebration of motherhood in its many forms.

Jane Cabrera's picture books have received worldwide attention and two Oppenheim Toy Portfolio awards. Her unique style has made her books a must-have for parents, teachers, and librarians for over a decade.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Family, Storytime, Love, Fiction

24 pages, Board Book

First published December 1, 2004

About the author

Jane Cabrera is best known as an Author and Illustrator of Children's Books.
She has written and illustrated 56 books which have been translated into over 25 languages and won awards in the US and Europe. She lives on the edge of beautiful Dartmoor National Park in the UK.
Her books range from picture story books to concept board books for babies.

FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/janecabrera...

Reviews

[Vivian]

If time permits read this story about how animal mothers carry their babies. You might ask the children what the magic word is (please). The kangaroo page says…
• Mommy kangaroo, carry me please
safe and snug inside your pouch
You may prefer to “read the pictures” instead of the text, or invite the children to read the pictures. Using “dialogic reading” ask what animal is pictured and ask how the mother carries her baby.

Children learn most from books when they are actively involved. To get children involved, researchers have developed a method of reading called Dialogic Reading. When most adults share a book with a child, they read and the child listens. In dialogic reading, the adult helps the child become the teller of the story. The adult becomes the listener, the questioner, the audience for the child. Dialogic reading is just children and adults having a conversation about a book.

http://www.multcolib.org/birthtosix/e...


If your story time crowd is the younger set, use this story. You don't have to do the entire book. I like to stop at the page that features the theme-of-the-day. Today I stopped at the fifth double-page spread, which featured (drumroll) a kangaroo!

This is also a good "activity" story. Have the children "stand up and balance" as if they were baby hippos riding mother's back to stay dry. Have the children "make crocodile jaws" with their arms and clap them together. The children can stand with both feet together and imagine a baby penguin standing on their feet. Have them touch their toes to "check the baby penguin". Have the children "reach up their arms" as if hanging on to a mother lemur. Have the children "hop up and down" like a kangaroo.

All this movement should have them ready to sit down for another story if there are older children in the group. If not, use this time to distribute board books for mothers to read aloud to them for three-to-five minutes.

[Erin]

I liked this book because it shows a lot of different mommies in the animal kingdom and how their moms care for them. My son liked the baby gator in the mommy gator's mouth the best. Or maybe he was just a little grossed out by it, but he's a boy...same difference lol. I can't believe we're almost done with January and this is my first review. I've only reading children's books this month and logged none of them.

[Isabel Smith]

There is something so soothing and special about a mother's warm embrace. In her sweet picture book, Mommy, Carry Me Please! , Jane Cabrera shows readers how this applies in the animal world. From koalas and kangaroos to penguins and lemurs, the book covers a nice range of animals and details how each species carries their young. The title of the book doubles as the repetitive phrase that will hook readers and keep them interested in the story. The large illustrations and catchy repetition makes this book an excellent choice for babies and toddlers. It could easily be used in a storytime about mothers, cuddles, and/or animals; it could just as easily serve as a random and recurring storytime favorite.

[Christy]

Just in time for Mother's Day comes this warm, high-spirited book to celebrate mothers throughout the animal world. Tucking their small ones into cozy pouches, looping them around their necks, and even plopping them on top of their feet, Jane Cabrera shows the special bonds between mothers and their babies.

[Auburn Library]

This is a fantastic book to read aloud with little ones. Like all of Cabrera's books it has bright, fun illustrations that are ripe for discussion.

[asummersday]

Kinda cute...shows how each mother animal carries it's baby.

[Lindsey]

Cute story showing different ways animals carry their young.

[Syntha Green]

Jane Cabrera is one of the best authors/illustrators for preschoolers

[Meredith]

Different animals ask their mothers to carry them.

[Alana]

It's a cute book, although inaccurate for a number of the animals, which keeps me from rating it higher.

[CLesp]

Great illustration on how some animals carry their babies..
humans love cuddling 🤗 their little ones too.

[Valencia]

Such a sweet and engaging story! This book is perfect for toddlers. Great illustrations too.

[TJE]

Cute book. She really enjoyed because she loves being carried like a baby right now. Book feels like it should rhyme but doesn't.

[TFE]

not super into

[Katie]

J absolutely loves this book! We've gotten it from the library several times, and it's almost always one that he chooses before bedtime. And, I love it because at the end he looks up at me with this big smile and then hugs me!!!

It's also a nice board book in general because it features some animals not typically found in picture books, like a lemur and a beaver.

Can't go wrong with Jane Cabrera's bright and fun illustrations either!

[J9]

Cabrera is a great author for the younger crowd. My twin 3 yr old's loved it. Colorful fun pictures that helps get the child engaged and keeps them engaged. The illustrations were paintings that had a unique brushstroke and the colors were so vibrant! Cabrera has a style all her own. Loved the paintings especially! Also, many of her books have themes that are popular children’s songs, so immediately her books grabbed my preschoolers attention. A great addition to any children's library.

[Meredith Miner]

Though this book is probably categorized as fiction, I actually think it would be great to pair with a nonfiction book about mommy animals and their babies (which I actually discovered and is also on my book log, Babies on the Go). Great discussion about the different ways animals care for their young.

[Jenny]

This was a really cute story with fun pictures. My three year old likes to say that it is he and I at the end when it shows the mom and little boy. I really liked the art style, very little kiddish in a cute way.

[ROSALIE]

A perfect story for those small enough to often be begging for mommy or daddy to pick them up and carry them. Baby animals plead with their mommies to be carried. Children learn the different ways this can be done. Easy reading, good for smaller children.

[Alisa]

Maybe because I'm a mommy of two little boys, and maybe because I love this illustrator, I LOVED this book. Definitely one I would buy. All kinds of animals want mommy to "carry" them and it ends with a little boy wanted to be snuggled by his mommy. Favorite kids book in awhile.

[Amanda Wilson]

i wasnt sure how to rate this book. I think it is perfect for a toddler, there is repitition, pictures of animals, and its the same lines on every page. The book is very very short, which is perfect for an infant/ toddler but it is very plain and simple and short.

[Vicki]

What a joyful book about mothers and their young. Opportunities to discuss using the word please, learning about new animals (lemur)and the illustrations are large and colorful - great reading to a group.

[Sheila]

This is a cute picture book for young children that shows how different babies are carried in the animal kingdom. There is always a reason given for why the baby is carried that way. Good illustrations also.

[N]

it's fun to read this in a whiny voice.

[Jen H.]

Cute story about baby animals and how their mothers carry them. Bright, colorful illustrations. Cute for toddlers and young children. Great read aloud.

[Michelle]

Picked up randomly at the library. Cute book, my daughter liked the cuddling mommys and babies. Not really original but cute.

[Marni]

We've read this one over and over, enough that Carolyn has most of it memorized. Cute and simple, delightful pictures.

[Michele]

Does an alligator really carry its young in its mouth? Other than that, a cute bedtime read for preschoolers.

[Gail]

My two year old enjoyed this book. It's very simple but the pictures are colorful.

[Jenny Forgay]

This sweet book is a great book to use in a family lesson. Children will also be able to see how different animals carry their babies.