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The Rosa Books #1
A Chair for My Mother
After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
100 people are currently reading
9060 people want to read
About the author
Vera B. Williams
30 books53 followersGraduate of Black Mountain College, North Carolina, where she majored in graphic art. In her own words, she has "done graphic art, school teaching, children-raising [she has two daughters and a son], has run a bakery and been a cook in schools and restaurants." (from back flap of book)
Vera B. Williams is the winner of the 2009 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.
You can read much more about this author here or here
Vera B. Williams is the winner of the 2009 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.
You can read much more about this author here or here
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,134 reviews
May 20, 2019
The artwork looks like watercolors. I loved the colored backgrounds and the flower covered armchair. This is a sweet story of a family saving up to buy a new chair after they lost their stuff in a house fire. The mother is a waitress. It’s a sweet story of hard work paying off.
The niece loved the chair and she thought the story was good. She gave this 3 stars. The nephew didn’t care much for the story. He doesn’t really save money. He gets a little and spends it, so he didn’t notice how long they have to save for this. He gave this 1 star.
The niece loved the chair and she thought the story was good. She gave this 3 stars. The nephew didn’t care much for the story. He doesn’t really save money. He gets a little and spends it, so he didn’t notice how long they have to save for this. He gave this 1 star.
April 20, 2018
Vera B. William's A Chair for my Mother is simply, utterly beautiful, both ascetically and morally, philosophically. Engagingly, with an ever-present but still delightfully understated emotionality, and thus, without too much exaggeration and pathos, it features both struggle/pain and joy. Rosa's family is poor (and I think that Rosa's mother might also be also a single parent), and has suffered a terrible loss due to a destructive fire that has basically left them without material possessions (including a comfortable chair for Rosa's mother to relax on when she comes home tired from her low wage paying waitressing job at a local diner), but thankfully, both the grandmother and the pet cat escaped the fire with no injuries (although it did take a while to locate the cat).
The fire, the loss Rosa's family has experienced notwithstanding, the text, the narrative of A Chair for My Mother, while definitely showing the destruction the conflagration has caused and presenting Rosa's family as being among the so-called working poor, is primarily optimistic and features mostly positives, such as family togetherness, community, how after the fire, Rosa's family and neighbours (many of whom are likely as economically strapped as Rosa's mother) rally to provide moral, emotional support and necessary furniture (Rosa, her mother and grandmother move in with family until they are able to relocate to a downstairs apartment, with neighbours and family donating beds, tables, chairs and curtains, along with necessary kitchen utensils). And although it does take some time for the family to save enough coins, to save enough money to be able to purchase a large, comfortable chair (primarily for Rosa's hardworking mother, but also for the grandmother to sit back and relax while preparing food), one day, the jar is full, and a comfortable chair beckons as a reality, and no longer just a dream (showing not only a sweet and happy ending, but also demonstrating that patience, perserverence, that saving ones coins, can and does make a difference).
The accompanying illustrations are bright, lively and expressive (both emotion and movement, the destructive power of the fire, as well as community spirit that sustains and nourishes Rosa's family in their hours of need are evocatively depicted). And although by themselves, I would probably not consider them personal favourites, I do love the colour schemes used, and consider the illustrations a more than fitting compliment and complement to the narrative, the storyline recounted in and with A Chair for my Mother.
The fire, the loss Rosa's family has experienced notwithstanding, the text, the narrative of A Chair for My Mother, while definitely showing the destruction the conflagration has caused and presenting Rosa's family as being among the so-called working poor, is primarily optimistic and features mostly positives, such as family togetherness, community, how after the fire, Rosa's family and neighbours (many of whom are likely as economically strapped as Rosa's mother) rally to provide moral, emotional support and necessary furniture (Rosa, her mother and grandmother move in with family until they are able to relocate to a downstairs apartment, with neighbours and family donating beds, tables, chairs and curtains, along with necessary kitchen utensils). And although it does take some time for the family to save enough coins, to save enough money to be able to purchase a large, comfortable chair (primarily for Rosa's hardworking mother, but also for the grandmother to sit back and relax while preparing food), one day, the jar is full, and a comfortable chair beckons as a reality, and no longer just a dream (showing not only a sweet and happy ending, but also demonstrating that patience, perserverence, that saving ones coins, can and does make a difference).
The accompanying illustrations are bright, lively and expressive (both emotion and movement, the destructive power of the fire, as well as community spirit that sustains and nourishes Rosa's family in their hours of need are evocatively depicted). And although by themselves, I would probably not consider them personal favourites, I do love the colour schemes used, and consider the illustrations a more than fitting compliment and complement to the narrative, the storyline recounted in and with A Chair for my Mother.
October 29, 2007
A book about a chair!
It's about a chair!
A house has burnt down and people have jobs and etc, etc, but the book is about a chair and the people that sit in it.
I LOVE this book!
I also love this book because it flies in the face of the ever present argument that we force the "beginning, middle, end" and "first, next, then, finally" format on students.
"HA! SEE, SEE what i mean"?!?! I want to say when i read this book. I want to say it to everyone everywhere. See, even in kids books. It's there, the structure of the story is propelled by the STORY not by the formula. Throw your stupid graphic organizers away and quite talking to me about your GD "transitional words"
This book starts in the present, moves to the past and ends in a present that has moved forward without being explicitly narrated.
I LOVE this book.
I really, really, really love this book.
It's about a chair!
A house has burnt down and people have jobs and etc, etc, but the book is about a chair and the people that sit in it.
I LOVE this book!
I also love this book because it flies in the face of the ever present argument that we force the "beginning, middle, end" and "first, next, then, finally" format on students.
"HA! SEE, SEE what i mean"?!?! I want to say when i read this book. I want to say it to everyone everywhere. See, even in kids books. It's there, the structure of the story is propelled by the STORY not by the formula. Throw your stupid graphic organizers away and quite talking to me about your GD "transitional words"
This book starts in the present, moves to the past and ends in a present that has moved forward without being explicitly narrated.
I LOVE this book.
I really, really, really love this book.
October 25, 2009
Author Vera B. Williams does a wonderful job telling the tale of a young girl and her mother and their dedication to restoring their lives back to normal following a fire that burned all their possessions in their home. The idea of having your home and catch on fire and losing all your possessions is a fear that many of us have. It's a terrible circumstance that everyone can consider how they would handle and begin to rebuild their life after. This common fear and questioning make this book a perfect example of contemporary realistic fiction. "A Chair for My Mother" teaches readers lessons in hard work, empathy and appreciation throughout the story. The pages of this book are filled with bright, beautifully crafted illustrations, outlined by frames that connect one page to the next.
This was one of my favorite books growing up and was thrilled to reconnect with it again!
This was one of my favorite books growing up and was thrilled to reconnect with it again!
June 28, 2011
A Chair for My Mother
Reading Level: Easy Reader, Ages 4-8
Genre: Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Illustrator:
This is a sweet story intended for elementary age students. The story touches on themes such as family life, saving, hard work, and hardship to an extent. The story is told from the perspective of a little girl who lives with her mother. The mom appears to be a single mother with close extended family that lives close by, with the grandmother being one of the three main characters. The story begins with the daughter telling how she and her mother are saving money for a new chair. Throughout the story, you learn the reason why they are saving money for a new chair. Their house had burned down and they lost all of their belongings in the fire. In finding their way to a new apartment, the generosity by neighbors and the family is brought forth displaying a strong sense of community, and family. Finally they have enough money to buy their big comfy chair for their new apartment. They are tired from working so hard and thoroughly enjoy the rest, and comfort symbolized by the new chair. I liked how the story includes three generations of women, their close bond, and hard work.
Reading Level: Easy Reader, Ages 4-8
Genre: Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Illustrator:
This is a sweet story intended for elementary age students. The story touches on themes such as family life, saving, hard work, and hardship to an extent. The story is told from the perspective of a little girl who lives with her mother. The mom appears to be a single mother with close extended family that lives close by, with the grandmother being one of the three main characters. The story begins with the daughter telling how she and her mother are saving money for a new chair. Throughout the story, you learn the reason why they are saving money for a new chair. Their house had burned down and they lost all of their belongings in the fire. In finding their way to a new apartment, the generosity by neighbors and the family is brought forth displaying a strong sense of community, and family. Finally they have enough money to buy their big comfy chair for their new apartment. They are tired from working so hard and thoroughly enjoy the rest, and comfort symbolized by the new chair. I liked how the story includes three generations of women, their close bond, and hard work.
September 9, 2016
1) This book is about a little girl that has been through a lot in her life so far. The house that her, her mother, and her grandmother lived in burnt up, and they lost everything. All of the neighbors were kind enough to bring them everything they could for their new apartment, however they still had no chair. Therefore, the mother and daughter collected a big jar and would fill it with coins everytime they got some, and everytime the mother would come home from work with money. The jar finally got full, and they went down the bank to cash it all in. Then they all went chair shopping and found the perfect chair, and now after all the hard work the mother can finally come home and relax after work.
2) Age Level: 4-8 years old Grade level: Kindergarten-3rd grade
3) Appropriate classroom use of this book could be used in a math lesson about money, or during a reading lesson
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book might be a student who has gone through a fire before and knows what that is like, or someone that collects money in a jar or piggy bank just like they do in the book.
5) Small group use of this book could be used as a math lesson and counting our own coins in a jar and grouping them together to see how many coins we have and what they add up to.
6) Whole class use of this book could be used to teach the students that you have to work for what you have, and that hard work pays off in the end. This might even motivate them to save money in a jar.
7) Related Books: The Nice Book, Those Shoes, & How Kind!
8) There is an audible version available for purchase on Amazon, but there is also a YouTube video of someone reading it with the pictures.
2) Age Level: 4-8 years old Grade level: Kindergarten-3rd grade
3) Appropriate classroom use of this book could be used in a math lesson about money, or during a reading lesson
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book might be a student who has gone through a fire before and knows what that is like, or someone that collects money in a jar or piggy bank just like they do in the book.
5) Small group use of this book could be used as a math lesson and counting our own coins in a jar and grouping them together to see how many coins we have and what they add up to.
6) Whole class use of this book could be used to teach the students that you have to work for what you have, and that hard work pays off in the end. This might even motivate them to save money in a jar.
7) Related Books: The Nice Book, Those Shoes, & How Kind!
8) There is an audible version available for purchase on Amazon, but there is also a YouTube video of someone reading it with the pictures.
July 6, 2012
Maybe this is a necessary read, but it is not a very enjoyable one. I would actually save it until ready to tackle a plethora of social issues with your child. I would have thought the story was more dated, but no, it's only from 1982 (although you could say 30 years is a long, long time) and I suppose we should presume the issues presented in the story are still to date. It is a bit hard to picture though, in this age of everybody buying all their heart's desires in a whim - on credit(!) The story is very realistic and forces the child to think in terms of other people's needs and desires, so it's a good lesson in altruism. But in many ways it's a bit too realistic for my taste, and I would prefer to spare my son having to worry about lacking money for basics, his parents being too tired from work to interact or play with him, or having his house burn down, until he's a little bigger, say 7-8 years old. Actually, I would rather not he have concerns about money at all, until he's quite a bit older (and I say this as someone growing up as the oldest sibling in a single parent household)!
Sadly though, this is probably a story kids should be reading, should it be sooner rather than later, and whether it's because this is their reality or because they're so completely detached from it ...
I hesitated between rating the book 2 or 3 stars, as I didn't take any pleasure from it and I didn't really care all that much for the illustrations.
Sadly though, this is probably a story kids should be reading, should it be sooner rather than later, and whether it's because this is their reality or because they're so completely detached from it ...
I hesitated between rating the book 2 or 3 stars, as I didn't take any pleasure from it and I didn't really care all that much for the illustrations.
October 11, 2007
This is another one of my favorites. For years I dreamed of saving a great big jar of coins. Only now am I actually doing it (with the Staffer of course). Anyway, there's a little girl, and there's a fire, and she lives with her mom and grandma, and her mom is so tired after work and has to sit in a kitchen chair to rest, so they save up all their coins and...
December 3, 2019
Reread this favorite to go along with our virtue study of honor. Sweet story of how a little girl honors her hard working mother.
February 10, 2016
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: Early Reader; Ages 3-8; 1st-3rd Grade
This book is filled with images of family and love, accompanied by pages of vivid color and detailed illustrations that truly captivate the eyes of young readers. In short, this book is about a mother, daughter, and grandmother who experience the loss of items due to a fire and how they work together as a family and community to pull the pieces of their lives back together. While this is a simple tale of love between family and community it has some very important themes for young children to understand and grasp. These include but are not limited to: Responsibility, Family, Community, Change, Money, Culture. Particularly, what I loved most about the book is how Vera B. Williams displayed the interconnectedness of different cultures working together to achieve a common goal, which reminds me of the old saying, "It takes a village..."
I believe this book can be most appropriately used in the classroom when talking about a unit on community and working together. I also believe this is a wonderful book that I would read to my students at the beginning of the school year, as some of the themes such as Responsibility, Culture, and Community are important when working together throughout the school year. I highly recommend this book to be apart of any teachers classroom library. Although this book is short and sweet and relatively easy for children to grasp it's themes and content can provide rich, creative learning experiences and conversations for students that can stretch beyond the classroom. I hope that you can enjoy this book as much as I did. I'm sure your students would appreciate it and enjoy it even more.
Reading Level: Early Reader; Ages 3-8; 1st-3rd Grade
This book is filled with images of family and love, accompanied by pages of vivid color and detailed illustrations that truly captivate the eyes of young readers. In short, this book is about a mother, daughter, and grandmother who experience the loss of items due to a fire and how they work together as a family and community to pull the pieces of their lives back together. While this is a simple tale of love between family and community it has some very important themes for young children to understand and grasp. These include but are not limited to: Responsibility, Family, Community, Change, Money, Culture. Particularly, what I loved most about the book is how Vera B. Williams displayed the interconnectedness of different cultures working together to achieve a common goal, which reminds me of the old saying, "It takes a village..."
I believe this book can be most appropriately used in the classroom when talking about a unit on community and working together. I also believe this is a wonderful book that I would read to my students at the beginning of the school year, as some of the themes such as Responsibility, Culture, and Community are important when working together throughout the school year. I highly recommend this book to be apart of any teachers classroom library. Although this book is short and sweet and relatively easy for children to grasp it's themes and content can provide rich, creative learning experiences and conversations for students that can stretch beyond the classroom. I hope that you can enjoy this book as much as I did. I'm sure your students would appreciate it and enjoy it even more.
November 21, 2020
Life changer. This is one of my favorite picture books because it is one that led me to become a writer of children's books.
I first read it when I was an adult in college. I would sneak down to the back far corner of the college library where a less known section of children's books was shelved. I didn't know they were partly there because we had a course on that topic at the college, but also because of the very small community surrounding the college used it as well. I remember at least three or four times going back there and pouring of the children's books, often sobbing uncontrollably at how wonderful they were.
This one in particular sticks out in my mind. It was so true. It had pain and joy and sorrow, characters, and setting-a whole lifetime in 32 pages. I didn't know that someday I would be a single mom with sore feet when I first read this book. And now it speaks to me even more.
The other day someone gave me a chair like this, and today I sat in it for a while. I almost never just sit. Maybe a few times a year. I'm always working. But this book is permanently in my mind as a place where I can stop and sit and remember why I wanted to write children's books: because they contain everything and the truths they tell are the ones I want to sit and savor. I have this book on my shelf and someday I hope to teach other people about the best form of high literature.
I first read it when I was an adult in college. I would sneak down to the back far corner of the college library where a less known section of children's books was shelved. I didn't know they were partly there because we had a course on that topic at the college, but also because of the very small community surrounding the college used it as well. I remember at least three or four times going back there and pouring of the children's books, often sobbing uncontrollably at how wonderful they were.
This one in particular sticks out in my mind. It was so true. It had pain and joy and sorrow, characters, and setting-a whole lifetime in 32 pages. I didn't know that someday I would be a single mom with sore feet when I first read this book. And now it speaks to me even more.
The other day someone gave me a chair like this, and today I sat in it for a while. I almost never just sit. Maybe a few times a year. I'm always working. But this book is permanently in my mind as a place where I can stop and sit and remember why I wanted to write children's books: because they contain everything and the truths they tell are the ones I want to sit and savor. I have this book on my shelf and someday I hope to teach other people about the best form of high literature.
March 8, 2015
A Chair for my Mother by Vera B. Williams, is a story about a little girl, her mother, and her grandmother. The story is told in the little girls point of view. She begins by informing the reader how hard her mother and her work to save money, and grandma often chips in. The narrator continues to explain why they are saving their money in a giant jar for a special chair. She begins to tell the story of how her family home burned down. She reveals that after the unfortunate fire several people throughout the community came and gave them donations of all sorts, but they still did not have a big comfy chair to rest in at the end of the day. After the narrator finishes telling the story of how their house burned down, she reveals that they finally saved enough money to buy a big comfy chair. So her and her family shop and shop, until they finally find the perfect chair. This book relates to the cultural topic: family, because it resembles a single parent family. This book is realistic fiction and includes a plot that is very interesting. I was shocked to find that the author begin to tell the story from the place at which the characters were currently at in their lives and then went back to tell us how they arrived to that point. The pictures in this book are a good representation of what is taking place, and clearly depict the character and the story line. This book exposes children to a different way of life culturally.
June 10, 2016
I believe this is a great diversity/realistic story to read to young children. It talks about a family that home caught fire and they lost everything inside. Although neighbors and friends were donating things for them the family decided to come together and save to buy themselves a big comfortable chair. They really wanted it for the mother because she works all day in a diner standing and the grandmother and daughter really wanted her too come home and relax on something very comfortable. So they searched and searched until they found the perfect chair to put in their home. I would read this book to children starting as early as preschool. The Author/illustrator made the pictures very realistic and colorful for the story of A Chair for My Mother.I can relate to this story myself because my home caught fire and I lost half of everything I owned also. I love this book. Vera B.Williams created great appealing books for children.
This book reminded me of myself when my house caught fire in 2010. I didn't loose my complete house but it was enough that that i had to by over and other friends and family were their to help. So i can relate to how they felt.
This book reminded me of myself when my house caught fire in 2010. I didn't loose my complete house but it was enough that that i had to by over and other friends and family were their to help. So i can relate to how they felt.
February 19, 2010
A Chair for My Mother is for kindergarten-third grade students and is a Caldecott Honor book (1983). This book is about a girl named Rosa, her mother, and grandmother who live together and live from paycheck to paycheck after their home and possessions were destroyed by a fire. They decide to save any extra money in a big jar until they can afford to buy one big comfortable chair that all three of them can enjoy.
This story is heartwarming and tender and has themes of love, family, strength, and determination It is a simple story, with depth and spontaneity. The illustrations are done in watercolor in an expressionistic style. They are colorful and energetic and have a cozy feel. Intense roses, blues, yellows, and greens represent strength, energy, and determination. The text and illustrations completely complement each other. This story would be best used in the classroom when discussing character counts topics and situations concerning responsibility and helping one another, as well as family and determination.
This story is heartwarming and tender and has themes of love, family, strength, and determination It is a simple story, with depth and spontaneity. The illustrations are done in watercolor in an expressionistic style. They are colorful and energetic and have a cozy feel. Intense roses, blues, yellows, and greens represent strength, energy, and determination. The text and illustrations completely complement each other. This story would be best used in the classroom when discussing character counts topics and situations concerning responsibility and helping one another, as well as family and determination.
May 16, 2016
After a devastating fire in their last apartment destroyed many of their belongings, leaving nothing but piles of ashes, a single mother and her daughter begin to rebuild. Friends and neighbors have helped them by bringing them the basic furniture and things they need to their new apartment. Because her mother works so hard, on her feet all day, the little girl wants her mother to be able to rest in a soft, comfortable chair after long days at the Blue Tile Diner. Grandmother collects the change in a jar from bargains she discovers at the market, all of them save their coins for a long time hoping to get a soft place to land for Mother. When the jar is finally filled, they roll the coins and head out with Grandmother to search for the perfect chair. After looking in four different stores they come across the perfect chair that is exactly what they were looking for, “just right".
Teaching ideas: Helping other people or Working toward a goal. Students could set a goal of their own and list the steps needed to reach it.
Interest level: k-2, GLE 3.8, Lexile 640L, DRA 24, GR M
Teaching ideas: Helping other people or Working toward a goal. Students could set a goal of their own and list the steps needed to reach it.
Interest level: k-2, GLE 3.8, Lexile 640L, DRA 24, GR M
June 3, 2018
This is a fantastic story. It's a heartwarming story with a lot of depth for a children's book.
It teaches about saving without being too preachy and it also is a great example about giving generously to those who need it. Our girls enjoyed this story and I loved it.
This book was selected as one of the books for the May 2016- Caldecott Honors discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This book was also selected as one of the books for the May 2018 - Boston Globe-Horn Book Picture Book Award Winners 1983-1990 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
It teaches about saving without being too preachy and it also is a great example about giving generously to those who need it. Our girls enjoyed this story and I loved it.
This book was selected as one of the books for the May 2016- Caldecott Honors discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This book was also selected as one of the books for the May 2018 - Boston Globe-Horn Book Picture Book Award Winners 1983-1990 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
November 11, 2007
•This story is about a tragedy and how the family is coping with the aftermath. It is about saving for something special and the importance of friends and family.
•Many children don’t have everything they need. I like how this story gives an example of one little girl but focuses on the important things in her life.
•This can be used with children to start a discussion of the important things in their lives and how it is important to do things for others.
Read aloud for 1st through 3rd. Used to lead to a deeper discussion with both younger and older students.
•Many children don’t have everything they need. I like how this story gives an example of one little girl but focuses on the important things in her life.
•This can be used with children to start a discussion of the important things in their lives and how it is important to do things for others.
Read aloud for 1st through 3rd. Used to lead to a deeper discussion with both younger and older students.
October 30, 2017
There are so many things to love about this classic: the portrayal of a house fire and its aftermath and the way neighbors ought to help each other; a family that experiences routine financial tightness; a multigenerational family living together...the list goes on. The story being told from the point-of-view of a child is still compelling and rich, and the payoff at the end is sweet and satisfying. It's a classic for a reason.
April 24, 2018
I like this book because we can teach young children how to care about their mother. This book is telling about Rosa ,her mother and grandmother save money for buying a comfortable chair after their house burned in a fire. I think children will say things like this my mommy will lay on our comfortable chair after she finished her job.i would ask children question like this do you love your mother,how you make your mother feel happy.
November 1, 2017
This is such a beautiful story! This has so many different topics like family, hardships,hardwork, love and generosity.
This family faced a tragedy as they lost their belongings in a fire. Rosa, her mother and grandmother save a their loose change to purchase a comfy chair they can all use. They are so dedicated in restoring their lives after such a tragic event.
This family faced a tragedy as they lost their belongings in a fire. Rosa, her mother and grandmother save a their loose change to purchase a comfy chair they can all use. They are so dedicated in restoring their lives after such a tragic event.
December 31, 2017
My daughter received this book for Christmas and we read it aloud together. A lovely story about hardship, tragedy, yet about love, hard work, savings, with an eventual happy ending. We both enjoyed this one.
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November 20, 2017Vera B. Williams’ A Chair for My Mother is a beautiful story of the three strong women. The story of hardship and struggle is told by a young girl. The young girl describes to the readers how her mother, grandmother, and herself have been saying money to purchase a chair. We learn that the family lost everything they had in an apartment fire. The family is able to save and finally have “A Chair for My Mother” at the end of the story. This realistic fiction text is so much more than a story of a family restarting after a fire. Elementary students of all ages can enjoy and learn from the many social justice themes such as hard work, community compassion, family strength, saving, perseverance, and overcoming hardship. I used this book in my own classroom to spark discussion about community involvement and responsibility. As we read the story I found my students being drawn in more and more as they saw the members of the neighborhood come together to give to this family after the fire. This is WOW book for me due to the response my Kindergarteners had. I was shocked at the engagement and response to the story. At the conclusion of the story my classroom was filled with hands raised and excited eyes. Students wanted to share how they had either helped a family in the past or brainstormed ways they would like to help others in their community. We also used this book when discussing about what being thankful means to them. Many students referred back to this text. Some students explained how they were thankful for their homes like the family was for their new apartment. Others shared how they were thankful to live in a town or area where other people cared about them and were always willing to help. I look forward to using this book in the future with my students as a way to introduce a service project and show the big impact they can make on someone else’s life by giving to others.
September 29, 2019
A story of a girl who had lost her home and how the family had worked together to save money to buy this new furniture, a soft chair!
This book is a caldecott winning book as it reflects the lives/ experiences of different children from various socio- economic.
The character is relatable to young children that she narrates her experience with so much details of what they were doing previous to the fire, what had happened during the fire and the family plan to buy the chair. Rosa describes how her family had involved her in saving the money, counting and depositing the funds so they can buy the sofa. I think that many children can relate to her experience of viewing her immediate family as a source for support as well as the larger community to support her whole family.
I recommend this book because it teaches children on how to be resilient in moments of crisis and how symbolism is so important. In this case the chair is a symbol of hope where mom can find a place to rest after a long day of work and that daughter's generosity in considering this idea of the chair as part of being home.
Some students who lives with only their mother and those who have an extended family members or children who have parents that works the service industry such as restaurants or jobs that requires their family to be away for a long period of time would make a connection to this story.
Teachers can use this to teach about resilience and the joy of having families in the midst of tragedies in life. Support the idea of understanding what are the most important things in our lives, our families.
This book is a caldecott winning book as it reflects the lives/ experiences of different children from various socio- economic.
The character is relatable to young children that she narrates her experience with so much details of what they were doing previous to the fire, what had happened during the fire and the family plan to buy the chair. Rosa describes how her family had involved her in saving the money, counting and depositing the funds so they can buy the sofa. I think that many children can relate to her experience of viewing her immediate family as a source for support as well as the larger community to support her whole family.
I recommend this book because it teaches children on how to be resilient in moments of crisis and how symbolism is so important. In this case the chair is a symbol of hope where mom can find a place to rest after a long day of work and that daughter's generosity in considering this idea of the chair as part of being home.
Some students who lives with only their mother and those who have an extended family members or children who have parents that works the service industry such as restaurants or jobs that requires their family to be away for a long period of time would make a connection to this story.
Teachers can use this to teach about resilience and the joy of having families in the midst of tragedies in life. Support the idea of understanding what are the most important things in our lives, our families.
September 2, 2013
After a fire destroys all of their furniture and belongings, the neighbors all help out by donating or buying things for their new apartment. Rosa, her mother and grandmother start saving up their money to buy a nice comfortable chair for everyone to sit in and relax.
Rosa is about 9 years old. The story is told through her eyes and of what she sees her hardworking mother go through in order to support her family. She helps her mother at the diner after school. She takes note of her mother’s emotions after work.
For some reason, this was the book that I borrowed almost every day in Kindergarten till 3rd grade and made my mother read it. I enjoy this book because of the closeness of the relationship between the mother and daughter. The mother and daughter were always with each other and doing things together. I felt that their family had such a hard working attitude toward their jobs and toward saving money. I liked the way the family reacted to the hardship and how uplifting it was to see all of their neighbors helping them out. It was amazing to hear how the first thing the mother asked when hearing about the fire was about her mother and not about her possessions. This book shows the hardships of life and how one family reacted to it.
Rosa is about 9 years old. The story is told through her eyes and of what she sees her hardworking mother go through in order to support her family. She helps her mother at the diner after school. She takes note of her mother’s emotions after work.
For some reason, this was the book that I borrowed almost every day in Kindergarten till 3rd grade and made my mother read it. I enjoy this book because of the closeness of the relationship between the mother and daughter. The mother and daughter were always with each other and doing things together. I felt that their family had such a hard working attitude toward their jobs and toward saving money. I liked the way the family reacted to the hardship and how uplifting it was to see all of their neighbors helping them out. It was amazing to hear how the first thing the mother asked when hearing about the fire was about her mother and not about her possessions. This book shows the hardships of life and how one family reacted to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2020
A Chair for My Mother tells the story of a little girl who lives with her grandmother and her mother. The mother works at a diner and the little girl often joins her, both saving their tips and money in a jar. The reader soon learns that all of their belongings were destroyed in a fire, and though their neighbors helped them with food and new furnishings, the one thing they are missing is a comfortable chair for mama to sit in when she finishes her day at work. When the jar is full, they will buy a new chair for mama so that she can rest her tired feet.
One way that this book could be used in the classroom is to teach about character traits. I spent the first few years of my teaching career at an I.B. school and we taught our students about the learner attributes. One learner attribute is "caring". This would be a wonderful book to use when teaching students what it means to be a caring person (the daughter saves her money because she loves her mama and wants her to have a comfortable place to rest). In addition, this book could be used with math! Students could learn about the cost of chairs and estimate how long it would take to save for different types of chairs depending on how much is saved each day!
One way that this book could be used in the classroom is to teach about character traits. I spent the first few years of my teaching career at an I.B. school and we taught our students about the learner attributes. One learner attribute is "caring". This would be a wonderful book to use when teaching students what it means to be a caring person (the daughter saves her money because she loves her mama and wants her to have a comfortable place to rest). In addition, this book could be used with math! Students could learn about the cost of chairs and estimate how long it would take to save for different types of chairs depending on how much is saved each day!
February 28, 2022
"A Chair for My Mother" by Vera Williams shows the struggle of a mother and daughter trying to save money to buy a chair. After losing their home and belongings in a house fire, a little girl and her mother work hard to save up for a comfortable chair in which they can sit at. The little girl's mom works at a restaurant and the girl helps her mom whenever she can. This shows some of the struggles of poverty, many kids start working at a young age because of need. All the money they earn is saved, and sometimes there is a lot of money, but sometimes there is not. There are financial insecurities that can be difficult for a mom, especially with a young daughter and also looking after her mom. Although the little girl only helps out sometimes, she knows how important it is to buy her mom a new chair. Eventually, they reach their goal and are able to buy a new chair for their home. Although this book does not depict extreme poverty, there are many struggles that can be related to poverty. The family does not have a steady source of income, they lost everything in a fire, the mom seems to be a single mother. Poverty comes in a lot of different ways, and although they have a home, they are still struggling, yet finding a way to make the best out of the situation.
January 15, 2020
This Caldecott honor book, A Chair for My Mother, by Vera Williams, is a wonderful story about a young girl raised to acknowledge, that no matter what adversity you are faced with, there is always hope. After a devastating house fire, the narrator and her single-parent family, experiences the generosity of others. Her mother’s boss gives the family pots and pans, her grandfather gives them a rug, their neighbors give them a bed, while her aunt and cousin give the family home made red and white curtains and a stuffed teddy bear. Although they feel very fortunate the family still does not have a comfy chair for her mother and grandmother to relax in after a hard day at work. This story shows how the value of money and the kindness of family and friends can defeat any obstacle that life throws at you.
In the classroom, I would use this book to lead a discussion on the differences in families and how social economics plays a role in the financial growth of its members. This could also be a great starter story, when discussing the roles of family members.
In the classroom, I would use this book to lead a discussion on the differences in families and how social economics plays a role in the financial growth of its members. This could also be a great starter story, when discussing the roles of family members.
October 21, 2021
A Chair for My Mother is a Caldecott Medal Award Winner and was found in the ALSC website. This book shows the struggle of a working class family and the idea of appreciating the little things in life. I enjoyed the audio I used to listen to this book because the reader read clearly and in first person. This book has bright water color paintings that bring the story to life. These types fo paintings are an eye grabber for young children. They help children understand the importance being the chair that is used as a symbol of hard work and family in this book. Chapter 3 states the importance of using single pages for pictures to make the pacing of the story even. (Temple, et al., 2019). When reading this story, it is important to put attention on the detail of the paintings that go along with the text on each page. I would use this book as a read aloud for comprehension in my classroom. I would also create some sort of activity where students can talk about things they've done in their family's to earn money or share similar stories.
February 13, 2020
A Chair for My Mother is a story told from a young girls perspective about how her and her family are saving up money to buy a big comfy chair, after loosing all of their belongings during a fire. This book was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1983.
I would recommend this book to the lower grade levels, as its story and images really capture the readers attention. This picture book has vibrant images and I feel that if it did not have text, the images would still be able to tell the story. I would also recommend it as a mentor text for a writing activity in which students can think and write of a time they saved up for something they really needed for them or a relative.
I would recommend this book to the lower grade levels, as its story and images really capture the readers attention. This picture book has vibrant images and I feel that if it did not have text, the images would still be able to tell the story. I would also recommend it as a mentor text for a writing activity in which students can think and write of a time they saved up for something they really needed for them or a relative.
February 28, 2022
Even though these are kids books, they are so triggering to read. They are addressing issues as a child's level to help give them an understanding of situations, but I know how traumatizing those situations can be when you're that young. I currently work as a server along with a second job. Serving is good when the tips are good. When they aren't, I'm scrambling for change to get food and gas. The narrator's mom is working so hard to build up and support her family after a fire and the narrator helping to save up for a comfortable chair for her mom to relax in after work broke my heart.
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