Meet the little joey, whose kangaroo mother carries him in her pouch. See the cygnet riding on the back of the mother swan. Eric Carle’s colorful collages of animal babies with their caring and affectionate mothers offer small readers visual delight as well as comforting reassurance.
“Tremendously popular author/illustrator Eric Carle needs no introduction. Readers wait eagerly for every new picture book – and nobody will be disappointed with this one. In this Very Simple story, an unseen child asks variations on the same question: ‘Does a lion/monkey/dolphin have a mother, too?’ The response is always the same: a big colorful ‘YES!’ with the soothing reassurance that, ‘like me and you,’ everyone has a mother. Repetition is the name of the game, here, because nothing comforts like reiteration.
Those on the verge of reading will enjoy the question and answer format, which is clearly designed to be read aloud. A list of the names of animal babies, parents and groups is included -did you know that a group of bears is called a ‘sloth?’ Or that a group of foxes is a ‘skulk?’ Carle’s trademark collages are as colorful and luminous as those found in any of his other well-loved modern classics (including The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Quiet Cricket); as usual, the illustrations are so good they’re worthy of framing.”
– by Emilie Coulter, Amazon.com April, 2000
“Almost no author/illustrator over the past thirty years has played a more prominent role in the literary lives of preschoolers than Eric Carle. His large, inviting graphic animals have consistently delighted and taught children during early stages of development. This latest effort is no exception. The structure is appropriately simple. First, the question, ‘Does a Kangaroo have a mother, too?’ followed on the next page by the answer, ‘Yes! A Kangaroo does have a mother! Just like me and you,’ along with a charming illustration of mother and offspring. The question is then repeated using a new animal – a giraffe, a swan, an elephant, etc., – 12 animals in all. But in addition to simply introducing children to wildlife, Carle emphasizes the connection between humans and animals through portrayals of the mother-child bond of love; he also shows how humans bond to the natural world. The names of parents, young, and groups of each species are listed on the final page.”
– by Tim Arnold, Booklist, January 1, 2000
