School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Although Mama bear tries to hurry her son along, he spends so much time getting his stuffed rabbit ready for nursery school that they leave the house behind schedule. They lose more precious minutes when she must rescue Rabbit after Billy drops him in the rain, and she rushes off to work without returning the toy to him. As the young bear unpacks his lunchbox in his classroom, he laments, "Mama didn't say I love you. She always says I love you." Before long, however, she returns to offer her tearful son a hug, his rabbit friend, and a comforting "I love you." The spare text presents a typical exchange between a harried mother and her dawdling child and the boy's distress at her abrupt leave-taking. Currey's large watercolor-and-ink illustrations show diagonal splashes of blue-gray color as the characters trek through the rain. Close-ups of a frowning Billy, a single tear sliding down his cheek, followed by the surprise reappearance of Mama and their cuddly reunion are paced just right. Endpapers featuring floppy-eared Rabbit in a variety of poses provide a humorous touch. Pair this with Francesca Rusackas's I Love You All Day Long (HarperCollins, 2002) for a reassuring look at parental love.-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Moss's (The Snow Bear) Valentine from mother to child follows a working parent trundling her lively bear cub to nursery school. The nostalgic watercolors bridge the gap between the demands of modern and old-fashioned worlds. British artist Currey portrays a timeless, idealized world, but includes enough familiar details to make the story feel contemporary. Billy's mother wears a granny apron in the kitchen and an ankle-length, flowered dress, but she also dons sensible shoes and carries a portfolio-sized purse. As the two eat breakfast and run through the rain to school, Billy blames his tardiness on his toy rabbit (e.g., "I think Rabbit's got a tummy ache"). Mama, late for work, abruptly leaves Billy at the school door; "Mama didn't say I love you," he sadly tells his teacher. Currey portrays the toddler-size tragedy through Billy's forlorn facial expressions and drooping posture as he searches in vain for his beloved rabbit. Luckily, his mother quickly returns with the rabbit in tow (she had tucked it into the purse to speed things along) and, most importantly, says, "I love you." Although the early scenes and dialogue seem occasionally stilted, the rapid resolution of the plot carries the reassuring message that although parents may make mistakes, their children's needs nearly always come first. Ages 2-up. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
