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Mama, I'll Give You the World
For one magical night, Luisa wants to make her single mother's worries disappear.
Every day after school Luisa goes to Walter's World of Beauty to watch her mama work-- cutting, coloring, and curling customer's hair, transforming them into the images of their dreams. Mama works hard and hardly ever smiles, but when she does, she is the prettiest flower in all the World. At the end of each day, she puts her tip money in a special envelopes for Luisa-- the envelope marked "college." She wants to give her daughter the world-- but Luisa has plans of her own. It's Mama's birthday and, for one night, she wants to make Mama smile... the way she smiles in an old photograph of her dancing at a place called Roseland. So Luisa transforms Walter's World of Beauty into Roseland, by decorating it with roses and collages of Mama's customers, who are also in on Luisa's secret. And it isn't long before everyone is happily dancing, especially Mama, who is the happiest of all.
Every day after school Luisa goes to Walter's World of Beauty to watch her mama work-- cutting, coloring, and curling customer's hair, transforming them into the images of their dreams. Mama works hard and hardly ever smiles, but when she does, she is the prettiest flower in all the World. At the end of each day, she puts her tip money in a special envelopes for Luisa-- the envelope marked "college." She wants to give her daughter the world-- but Luisa has plans of her own. It's Mama's birthday and, for one night, she wants to make Mama smile... the way she smiles in an old photograph of her dancing at a place called Roseland. So Luisa transforms Walter's World of Beauty into Roseland, by decorating it with roses and collages of Mama's customers, who are also in on Luisa's secret. And it isn't long before everyone is happily dancing, especially Mama, who is the happiest of all.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 14, 2011
Mama, I'll Give You the World was a very sweet heartwarming story. This is a story of a single mother and her daughter. Mama used to love to dance when Papa was around. Now she spends all her time working at Walter's World of Beauty and of course, taking care of Luisa. Always making sure she does "First things first." Like saving for Luisa's college and seeing to it that Luisa does her homework right there in the salon where she observes her mother working her magic on the customers every day.
I felt how Luisa must have felt when Mama was resting in her saloon chair and Luisa was brushing her hair. She was brushing hard carefully watching her mother's face to see if she can make her smile, hoping to brush her Mama's cares away.
Today, things will be different. Today, Luisa will make magic of her own. It is Mama's birthday and Luisa and some of Mama's co-workers and friends have a wonderful surprise for her.
I love the illustration of Luisa asking, "Pretty please?" I couldn't say no to a child with that expression on his or her face either.
I felt how Luisa must have felt when Mama was resting in her saloon chair and Luisa was brushing her hair. She was brushing hard carefully watching her mother's face to see if she can make her smile, hoping to brush her Mama's cares away.
Today, things will be different. Today, Luisa will make magic of her own. It is Mama's birthday and Luisa and some of Mama's co-workers and friends have a wonderful surprise for her.
I love the illustration of Luisa asking, "Pretty please?" I couldn't say no to a child with that expression on his or her face either.
December 1, 2010
Luisa says that when her dad was around her mother was always dancing but now she is at work all day in the hair salon. Luisa goes there everyday after school. First she always has to do her homework and then she can help mom with her customers. Luisa realized that there was a picture at her mom’s station where she was dance and was always told it was at Roseland. For her mother’s birthday, Luisa recreated Roseland by inviting her mother’s clients and coworkers to her birthday party. Luisa pretended to have forgotten her book at the salon when she was actually taking her mom to her surprise birthday party. She danced the way she had not done so in years.
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February 28, 2025
I really enjoyed "Mama, I'll Give You the World" because it shows a beautiful relationship between a mother and her daughter, Luisa. Luisa visits her mom at her hair salon every day after school to work on her homework. Luisa's mom works hard for Luisa to go to college. Luisa takes note of how hard her mom works and decides to surprise for her birthday. She gets all her clients together to throw a surprise party for her. Her mom begins to dance again, something she hasn't done since her husband passed. I would definitely include this book in my future classroom because it shows how important it is to give your mom something when she gives you so much.
March 22, 2023
Mama, I'll Give You the World is about Luisa who goes to watch her mom work, she cuts and colors hair. After Luisa's mom's work day, she puts all her tip money in an envelope for Luisa's college fund. The story is about Luisa trying to get her mom to smile, she transforms her mom's work into a photograph that her mom loves--Roseland. I would love to read this book to my students, it has great themes of love, family, and working hard to achieve a goal.
August 3, 2017
Sweet book. :)
March 7, 2018
Love this book. Wonderful story, wonderful illustrations. Challenging picture book that makes you think.
March 8, 2018
I unexpectedly had tears while reading this one.
August 11, 2018
Sweet read the little girl wanted to make her hard working mother birthday special
June 27, 2019
A charming story of the love of a young girl for her mother.
February 27, 2024
Great book for older kids! Amazing illustration and great plot. I would have this in my classroom. It can be a lesson on thinking of someone else.
March 14, 2019
This book is realistic fiction. Mama, I'll Give You the World follows the story of Luisa and her mother. The beginning of the book implies that she takes care of Luisa on her own as her father is no longer around (which can be interpreted in any way). I love that this shows that regardless of a being a single mother, she does not show any type of signs that result in neglect or hatred towards Luisa. The illustration felt as if it was drawn to not support the story but to express it in ways that would match the story hand and hand. Single families still have the capabilities of experiencing love and fun compared to a "normal" family. Luisas' family was not only was exclusive to her mom but to the customers that they had as well at the salon. The customers and co-workers all loved and cared for Luisa and her mother the same as a family should. "Everyone in the world is a flower, Together they make a bouquet"
March 2, 2017
Luisa is a young girl who lives with her mother. Her mother works at a salon where Luisa goes after school to do her homework. Luisa notices that her mother doesn't dance or smile anymore, now that her father is not around. Luisa sees her mom working hard all the time and comes up with a plan to surprise her mom for her birthday. I really loved this story. It sends a message that is uplifting and shows single mothers in a realistic way. I would definitely use this book in my future as a teacher!
February 18, 2017
Luisa’s mom was a hairdresser who worked hard and who saved her tips to pay for Luisa’s college education. After the school bus dropped Luisa off at her mother’s job, Luisa would do her homework then draw pictures of the customers. The beautiful drawings added joy to a story of a beautiful relationship between a mother and a daughter.
September 24, 2020
Sweet story of a child surprising their mother on their birthday with a party featuring people from mom's work (co-workers and customers).
December 10, 2012
Mama, I’ll Give You the World is a heartwarming story about a little girl who has taken it upon herself to make her mother happy after her father has gone. Roni Schotter tells a beautiful story through the eyes of a little girl, Luisa. Luisa is an energetic child who spends her time after school at her mother’s beauty shop, Walter’s World of Beauty, doing homework and working on art projects. In the beginning of the story, we find out that the father has gone away and the mother has never been the same. Luisa’s goal in life is to make her mother smile because she says “when mama smiles, she is the prettiest flower in the World.” We then find out that Mama’s birthday is coming up so in order for Mama to smile, Luisa plans the best surprise ever. Luisa talks to all the people that come to her Mama’s shop and plan a big surprise. In the end, Mama is the happiest woman in the “World” and Luisa finally sees the happiness back in her Mama’s eyes.
I think that this book is great to have in a classroom because it isn’t your normal nuclear family. This book is easy to connect to for students that are in single parent households or don’t always have the support of both parents. Schotter also writes this book in a way that the reader can tell there is a strong bond between the mother and daughter. This bond in the book would make this a great book to share for special person’s day in a classroom. Along with the good written story, the illustrations do a great job of telling the story as well. They are very detailed and colorful and portray many emotions on everyone’s faces. This book is a great read for the younger grades and easy to connect with.
I think that this book is great to have in a classroom because it isn’t your normal nuclear family. This book is easy to connect to for students that are in single parent households or don’t always have the support of both parents. Schotter also writes this book in a way that the reader can tell there is a strong bond between the mother and daughter. This bond in the book would make this a great book to share for special person’s day in a classroom. Along with the good written story, the illustrations do a great job of telling the story as well. They are very detailed and colorful and portray many emotions on everyone’s faces. This book is a great read for the younger grades and easy to connect with.
October 20, 2013
Written by Roni Schotter, Mama I’ll give you the world, is a story of a young girl who wishes to give her single mother “the world” by surprising her on her birthday. This narrative tells about Luisa whose father is no longer around and her mother works hard to provide her with a good life. The author captures the life of a single parent home in this text by showing the hard working mother taking care of her daughter alone. Roni does an amazing job with descriptive language (ex. “raspberry radiance, evening glow”). I would use this text to teach alliterations (ex. “sweeps up snippets of hair for hansom Mr. Anselmo”). Student, even those with two parents, are able to understand the hard work parents do to ensure that their children have a better life than they had. Although Roni is not a single mother she is a mother, and writes books about extraordinary courage, as does Luisa as she prepares her mother’s surprise birthday party. The illustrations by Susan Saelig Gallagher are very vivid and brings the text to life.
October 26, 2014
The genre of this book is realistic fiction. This book centers around the daily life of a hard-working mother and young daughter who are dealing with the loss of a husband and father. Louisa who is the little girl in the story visits her mother’s job every day and sees how hard her mom has had to work since her dads' death. This makes Louisa want to celebrate her mother’s birthday in a big way. I think that this story would be interesting to children. It includes a rich, thick plot as well as a problem and resolution. The story is age appropriate and it utilizes style and language that is age appropriate for students at the elementary level. The lifestyles of the characters are genuine and complex and children would be exposed to multiple perspectives and values. The story offers children a variety of things to think about, question, or consider and the illustrations are accurate in terms of setting, plot, and characters. Overall this is a very sweet book.
February 22, 2016
A story written from the perspective of a little girl wanting to honor all that her mother does for her. The little girl sees how her mother (a single mom) works long hours in a salon every day, each night tucking away tip money to put into her daughter's college fund. The daughter wants to see her mom find her smile again. "Mama hardly ever smiles but when she does, she's the prettiest flower in the world." When Mama's birthday rolls around, the daughter comes up with a plan to get her mom smiling and laughing again, and be reminded just how much she means to everyone around her.
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story celebrating hard-working mothers, showing how, with even the smallest gesture, we can remind them how much they are loved for everything they do and the daily sacrifices they make. This would be a beautiful book to share on Mother's Day!
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story celebrating hard-working mothers, showing how, with even the smallest gesture, we can remind them how much they are loved for everything they do and the daily sacrifices they make. This would be a beautiful book to share on Mother's Day!
April 20, 2016
Children of single parents are more common today than when I was growing up, but their experience is still considered outside the norm. Schotter's sweet, loving book about a child wanting to put a smile on her mother's tired face is a comforting story for anyone but especially so for children growing up with single moms.
This is a good read-aloud book for a classroom of young children or for a little one snuggling beside you. I borrowed the digital version from the library and was pleased with the quality. As much as I love holding a book like this in my hands, and as many books as I buy for the grandchildren, I appreciate the efforts authors and publishers are making to bring their works to electronic devices.
This is a good read-aloud book for a classroom of young children or for a little one snuggling beside you. I borrowed the digital version from the library and was pleased with the quality. As much as I love holding a book like this in my hands, and as many books as I buy for the grandchildren, I appreciate the efforts authors and publishers are making to bring their works to electronic devices.
March 31, 2013
Subgroup: single-parent families
Genre: Fiction
Topics: single-parent families, hardworking moms, dreaming big
Synopsis: This children's book is about a hardworking mom and her little girl, Luisa. Everyday after school, Luisa spends the afternoon in her mom's beauty shop doing homework and crafts. On the way home everyday, her mom puts all of her tips inside of an envelope to give Luisa for college one day. Luisa sees how much her mom works to make their life the best possible and strives to give her mom the world for her birthday. Luisa only wants to give her mom what she deserves.
8) Schotter, R. (2006). Mama, I’ll Give You the World. New York, NY: Schwartz and Wade Books.
Genre: Fiction
Topics: single-parent families, hardworking moms, dreaming big
Synopsis: This children's book is about a hardworking mom and her little girl, Luisa. Everyday after school, Luisa spends the afternoon in her mom's beauty shop doing homework and crafts. On the way home everyday, her mom puts all of her tips inside of an envelope to give Luisa for college one day. Luisa sees how much her mom works to make their life the best possible and strives to give her mom the world for her birthday. Luisa only wants to give her mom what she deserves.
8) Schotter, R. (2006). Mama, I’ll Give You the World. New York, NY: Schwartz and Wade Books.
March 17, 2013
Luisa's mother used to dance, when her father was around. Now she just works hard all day at Walter's World of Beauty. But Louisa is determined to get her mother to dance again -- by transforming the World into a party of friends and happiness.
The oil paint illustrations really emphasize the variety of people who populate Louisa's world, and depict a warm and loving community of people who live in the city.
Great for elementary school classes who need a book about birthdays, or families, or moms!
The oil paint illustrations really emphasize the variety of people who populate Louisa's world, and depict a warm and loving community of people who live in the city.
Great for elementary school classes who need a book about birthdays, or families, or moms!
April 1, 2013
Schotter, R. (2006). Mama, I’ll Give You the World. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Sub Group: Careers
Genre: Fiction
Topics: beauty shops, birthday’s, secrets
Synopsis:
This is a great story about a little girl who helps her working mother in her hair salon every day after school. She understands that she has a working mom who takes good care of her, and wanted to do something special for her upcoming birthday. Lusia decides to surprise her mother, so she whispered her plans for her mother’s birthday to all of her friends and co-workers.
Sub Group: Careers
Genre: Fiction
Topics: beauty shops, birthday’s, secrets
Synopsis:
This is a great story about a little girl who helps her working mother in her hair salon every day after school. She understands that she has a working mom who takes good care of her, and wanted to do something special for her upcoming birthday. Lusia decides to surprise her mother, so she whispered her plans for her mother’s birthday to all of her friends and co-workers.
August 2, 2014
This book written by Roni Schotter and illustrated by Susan Saelig Gallagher centers around the daily life of a hard-working mother and young daughter who are dealing with the loss of Papa. Louisa visits her mother’s job daily where the customers greet her. Her mother’s passion and drive for hairstyling prompts her to celebrate her mother’s birthday in a big way. By joining together, the customers and Louisa surprise the mother with a big night of dancing in the salon. This book is one of compassion and love. Truly a great read.
October 6, 2015
Very sweet book about a child and her love for her mother. Great at showing a hard working single parent. Would recommend this book to children over the age of 4. Story follows a little girl as she wants to give her mom the world so she draws pictures for her and the mother wants to give her daughter the world so she is saving up money for her daughter to go to college. The bond these two share is very heartwarming. Very inspiring and great read.
October 1, 2013
This is a realistic fiction children's book about a single mom. This book is good to use with young children. The book show the relationship between a mother and daughter.It shows all that the mom goes through to take care of her daughter and how much the little girl appreciates everything her mom does.This is a sweet story with great illustrations.
March 29, 2014
A warm book to read to kids, especially around Mother's Day. Its a story about a newly single mother and her daughter Luisa. The illustrations brings the story to life, as it shows how Luisa is able to do little things around the house to help her mother to prepare for a party. It is a touching story that shows how children can help make their mothers happy just by doing simple things.
July 11, 2014
I thought this was a very sweet book. I loved how she planned a surprise birthday party for her mom. My mom means the world to me also and I would do anything to make her happy!!! This would be a great book to use for Mother's Day as a theme and maybe have the kids make something special for their mother.
September 25, 2011
This one took a few sittings to get all the way through for me, and I don't think it was the story's fault. All the same, when I finally did finish I was happy with the conclusion. The illustrations are very nice and the story was pretty well done.
February 8, 2012
Sweet book.
Young Louisa attempts to show her hardworking single mother love by throwing her a surprise birthday party. Louisa thinks her mother deserves the world for everything she does and Louisa wants to give her that world.
Young Louisa attempts to show her hardworking single mother love by throwing her a surprise birthday party. Louisa thinks her mother deserves the world for everything she does and Louisa wants to give her that world.
May 29, 2009
What a great book for children with working mamas. Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews