MAMA
Kelly Jones
Ken Kewley, illustrator
Stunt Publishing, 2004
ISBN 0-9745930-0-1

Nearly every kid goes though a period when they are learning to talk where every woman is "mama" and every man is "dada". It's a liberating time for the toddler –for the first time he or she can use meaningful language to communicate needs. In this bright story, the narrator, a big sister, shows her little brother using only one word, "Mama."

Little brother uses "Mama" to say he wants to play. He uses it to say he's hungry. He uses it to say he wants out of the grocery cart and to say he wants his diaper changed. Each "translation" his sister makes is illustrated not only with bold collages but also with her awareness of all the ways we can communicate.

In rhyming verse, the first-time author presents a novel way of seeing a positive sibling relationship. The sister delights in her ability to understand her brother's needs and thinks it's charming that he only uses one word. It's never a concern or a problem. It is a sweet portrayal of accepting another person for who they are.

Vibrant squares and rectangles make up most for the fairly abstract images. It takes some effort to see all the details included on each brilliant page. Very young children may need help understanding the picture. Many of the illustrations are reminiscent of the famous artist Matisse. The artist used photographs of the author's family to work from, giving a sense of real-life scenes.

MAMA is a romp through a wildly colorful landscape in the company of two engaging children.

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