The Best Mother

by Cynthia Surrisi, Diane Goode

Overview

When Maxine wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one morning, she wonders if the problem might be her mother. What if she could try out a new mom who doesn’t make her brush her teeth or comb her hair? Enlisting Mom to help her with the search, Maxine interviews various prospects to be her new mother at the park, the toy store, and the zoo. Unfortunately, these other mothers present a host of new problems and concerns. Maybe her “old mother” was the best mother of all? For every child who’s ever wondered if the grass is greener, The Best Mother affirms that there’s nothing better than your own mother’s love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683351290
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

C. M. Surrisi holds an MFA from Vermont College in children’s literature and is the author of the middle-grade novel The Maypop Kidnapping. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina. Diane Goode has illustrated more than 50 beloved and critically acclaimed picture books, including the New York Times bestseller Founding Mothers and the Caldecott Honor book When I Was Young in the Mountains.
 

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—Frustrated with following her daily rules and routines, Maxine decides to look for a new mother in the park, at the toy store, and at the zoo—but in the end, she discovers her "old" mother is the best. Surrisi's concise writing explores this universal theme in a fresh way, but leaves the main message unarticulated (except for the title), skewing this book for a slightly older picture book reader in spite of the short word count. Goode's recognizable pen-and-ink drawings with watercolor, gouache, and pastel suit the humorous and heartfelt story. The illustrations are done in a cartoon style very similar to those in Kate Feiffer's My Mom Is Trying To Ruin My Life, also illustrated by Goode. VERDICT This is a sweet (but not too sweet) general purchase especially suited for a Mother's Day storytime, but is likely to be enjoyed by both children and moms all year round.—Hillary Perelyubskiy, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

2018-03-18
Maxine searches for a new mother…and discovers the best one has been with her all along.Maxine hates the morning routine of washing face, brushing teeth, and combing hair. "Maxine was sure a new mother would solve her problems." So she informs her mother of her plan to look for a new mom in the park, at the toy store, and at the zoo. But since she can't get to those places on her own, she asks her old mother to accompany her. Unperturbed, the old mother agrees, and readers with sharp eyes will see her as a constant presence keeping an eye on Maxine as she asks various women how they would respond in certain situations: cleanup time, drum-banging, wearing slippers in the snow, toy purchases. After each potential mother's response, she is summarily rejected. At the zoo, Maxine observes the animals with their babies, thought bubbles showing her own mother doing similar things with Maxine. A couple of page turns reveal that her old mother has done all the things the prospective new mothers scoffed at, and Maxine knows just which mother is perfect for her. Goode's pen-and-ink, watercolor, gouache, and pastel illustrations emphasize relationships and emotions. Maxine and her mother both have brown skin and hair: Mom's is straight, while Maxine's is unruly, curls sprouting energetically from her head and beneath her hat.A delightful look at a what-if all children have considered, if not acted upon. (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews