Starting school can be extremely difficult for some children and some Moms too. Separation anxiety is a formidable opponent for many kids. The more tools you have to help your child succeed, the better. That’s why when I spied this book Pocket Mommy and this giveaway, open to Canada and the US., I had to get in on it.
From Random House Pocket Mommy publisher:
Saying goodbye to Mom at the kindergarten door can be tough. Samuel hates it and wishes he could have a tiny, pocket-sized mommy to carry around with him all day. His mom slips a pretend mommy into his pocket, and when she comes to life, Samuel is delighted . .. at first. But he soon discovers that having a mom along in kindergarten isn’t as much fun as he thought it would be. Sure, she helps him remember the words to songs and keeps him company. But she also rearranges the bookshelf, corrects his artwork, and tries to clean out the guinea pig cage—all with disastrous (and comic) results. An energetic romp with a sweet core, The Pocket Mommy follows one little boy as he navigates the age-old conflict between the comfort of the familiar and the joy of letting go.
Pocket Mommy is a must have book for anyone starting kindergarten or preschool this year. Rachel Eugster is a lovely writer with a flare for words and a unique style. I rarely find writing style to be the thing that jumps out at me most when reviewing a children’s picture book, but Pocket Mommy is gorgeously written. Take for instance this phrase:”Chalk dust rose in energetic swirls and rained onto the floor.”
Samuel is a reluctant little boy starting kindergarten and he fears being separated from mommy. His mom has a solution and places pocket mommy inside his shirt. Unbelievably Pocket Mommy gets in so much trouble all day that Samuel learns he might be better off at school aiming for independence.
My daughters are both tweens but they loved hearing this sweet story. Every year there is a small amount of separation anxiety, despite the age of the child you have, so this is a worthy tool to have ready for next week. I loved this twist and enjoyed the writing. The characters are fun and how comical that the pretend Mommy is the troublemaker? Pocket Mommy gets a $$$$$ out of $$$$$. It’s a very positive little story.
I recall searching for a positive starting school book for my daughter several years ago and I was really put off by the number of storybooks that featured whiny characters who hated school and cried and were not embracing the experience in a positive manner. Or the main character would start school and encounter a bully right away or miss Mommy the entire day. I did not want to place an unnecessary fear of school in my child’s head. Pocket Mommy is a great positive example of a good back to school book for anyone. Eugster is from Ottawa and illustrator Goldsmith is from Toronto.
Pocket Mommy is by Rachel Eugster and illustrated by Tom Goldsmith. It is $17.99 in Canada and US $16.95. Tundra Books is the publisher and this book is 100 % Canadian, 2013.