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Mama Is a Miner
A mother describes her job working as a miner
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1994
About the author
George Ella Lyon
81 books76 followersGeorge Ella Lyon is a Kentucky author who has published in many genres, including picture books, poetry, juvenile novels, and articles.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 28, 2017
Pretty illustrations, and a nice look at the mining profession, especially since it was the mother who was the miner.
I didn't understand the purpose of the song on the opposing pages. The rest of it I liked.
I didn't understand the purpose of the song on the opposing pages. The rest of it I liked.
August 14, 2025
This book is so carefully researched and is still such a good story that I was surprised when I read the first pages. The idea of the mother of the story being a miner shows a truth many are unaware of. How she's portrayed is honest and lived in. Punches are not pulled - this is hard work and you see it. But you also see that real relationships the mother has not just with her family but her coworkers. She's a real person and you can't help but be drawn to her.
I love the artwork so much. Also, the rhythmic bits which seem to come from the miners themselves haunts the pages throughout, giving you a sense of a heritage here most would never realize.
This is a book which should be required reading for kids learning about professions or life in Appalachia and I wish I'd had it to open discussions with the kids back when I was homeschooling. Highly recommended.
I love the artwork so much. Also, the rhythmic bits which seem to come from the miners themselves haunts the pages throughout, giving you a sense of a heritage here most would never realize.
This is a book which should be required reading for kids learning about professions or life in Appalachia and I wish I'd had it to open discussions with the kids back when I was homeschooling. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2020
Strong women but many expressions we didn't understand.
April 22, 2025
Praise for Mom working hard! Beautiful paintings!
October 15, 2008
Category: Picture Book, Realistic
Audience: Ages 4-8
Brief Description: The story of a mother who must work in the mines in order to care for her family.
Although this is considered a children's book, I think it is really meant more for adults who are miners. There is some comparison that happens on the page between what goes on in the mine and what is going on at home at the same time. However, when describing what is going on at home, it is done so in poetic form which is more poetic than meaningful for a child. The story talks of the hardships and dangers in the mine and also what mama is thinking about to get through the day. To me, it is a very sad and depressing story. I would not read it to my child, because I do not feel they would be entertained by the book nor would they learn from the book. It is more of a way for the miners to kind of describe to the child what they do during the day. The only way this story would be relatable for a child is if the parent is able to stop the story at certain points and do a further explanation.
I definitely agree with the Publishers Weekly interpretation of this story, "Unfortunately, the warmth and originality of this family story are undermined by a needlessly complicated format and structure,” and goes on to say “. Lyon poetically juxtaposes informative sections about mining with the story of the mother "Catalanotto alternates affectionate portraits of the family above ground with dark scenes of the […] mine, but the relation of his superb watercolors to the text is not always clear.” A seemingly chipper School Library Journal seems to absolutely love the book, “Visually, the book is breathtaking,” and it “packs a lot into its 32 pages and is far more than a simple.” I wholeheartedly disagree with this review as I did not enjoy the book and cannot see a child enjoying it either unless they happen to be the child of a miner. These reviews are very different, yet I believe the comparison of the two helps one to determine whether this is a book they want to read to their child.
Sources:
Devereaux, E., & Roback, D. (1994). Forecasts: Children's books. [Review of the book Mama is a Miner]. Publishers Weekly, 241(28), 78.
Bock, L. (1994). Book review: Preschool & primary. [Review of the book Mama is a Miner]. School Library Journal, 40(9), 189.
Audience: Ages 4-8
Brief Description: The story of a mother who must work in the mines in order to care for her family.
Although this is considered a children's book, I think it is really meant more for adults who are miners. There is some comparison that happens on the page between what goes on in the mine and what is going on at home at the same time. However, when describing what is going on at home, it is done so in poetic form which is more poetic than meaningful for a child. The story talks of the hardships and dangers in the mine and also what mama is thinking about to get through the day. To me, it is a very sad and depressing story. I would not read it to my child, because I do not feel they would be entertained by the book nor would they learn from the book. It is more of a way for the miners to kind of describe to the child what they do during the day. The only way this story would be relatable for a child is if the parent is able to stop the story at certain points and do a further explanation.
I definitely agree with the Publishers Weekly interpretation of this story, "Unfortunately, the warmth and originality of this family story are undermined by a needlessly complicated format and structure,” and goes on to say “. Lyon poetically juxtaposes informative sections about mining with the story of the mother "Catalanotto alternates affectionate portraits of the family above ground with dark scenes of the […] mine, but the relation of his superb watercolors to the text is not always clear.” A seemingly chipper School Library Journal seems to absolutely love the book, “Visually, the book is breathtaking,” and it “packs a lot into its 32 pages and is far more than a simple.” I wholeheartedly disagree with this review as I did not enjoy the book and cannot see a child enjoying it either unless they happen to be the child of a miner. These reviews are very different, yet I believe the comparison of the two helps one to determine whether this is a book they want to read to their child.
Sources:
Devereaux, E., & Roback, D. (1994). Forecasts: Children's books. [Review of the book Mama is a Miner]. Publishers Weekly, 241(28), 78.
Bock, L. (1994). Book review: Preschool & primary. [Review of the book Mama is a Miner]. School Library Journal, 40(9), 189.
February 9, 2015
MAMA IS A MINER is a realistic picture story book written by George Ella Lyon and illustrated by Peter Catalanotto. It is a hard story of a family mother that works as a miner and it is shown how is her daughter´s perspective of her work at the mines and at home.
The text it is so nice, when it is related the time in the mines, it is written in a normal way; but the time at home is written poetically. So these became the book more interesting, but at the same time a bit difficult to understand it. For is a very important point of view seeing a woman working as a miner, it is an interesting message for students.
I esteemed the illustrations for many reasons, first of all because the images are so realistic, and I liked them. Secondly it is fantastic how the illustrator shows the work at mines, the expressions of the faces, the colors, the darkness… It is interesting too how he mixed or compares in some pages the mines and their home. And finally in my opinion is wonderful how he uses different perspectives to show the home life.
It is supposed to be a book for children from 4 to 8 years, but I won´t use it with them. It is a sad story and difficult too, so if I use it, I think that some explanations are necessary. But I would read this book with students over 7 years.
The text it is so nice, when it is related the time in the mines, it is written in a normal way; but the time at home is written poetically. So these became the book more interesting, but at the same time a bit difficult to understand it. For is a very important point of view seeing a woman working as a miner, it is an interesting message for students.
I esteemed the illustrations for many reasons, first of all because the images are so realistic, and I liked them. Secondly it is fantastic how the illustrator shows the work at mines, the expressions of the faces, the colors, the darkness… It is interesting too how he mixed or compares in some pages the mines and their home. And finally in my opinion is wonderful how he uses different perspectives to show the home life.
It is supposed to be a book for children from 4 to 8 years, but I won´t use it with them. It is a sad story and difficult too, so if I use it, I think that some explanations are necessary. But I would read this book with students over 7 years.
September 22, 2015
Mama is a Miner is a cultural gem (no pun intended). It connects the graceful family life to the grueling mine life as the pages switch from “mama” being in the mine to “mama’ being at home with her family. This is the reality for miners everywhere today, yesterday, and the days before and it is a reality that a lot kids have not come to truly know. It serves as a poem that can run through a culture of people that depend on the mines for life, mines that a lot of times take life away. The illustrations bring life to the poem and are just as crucial to the connection of family and mines as the words are. They are dirty and imperfect like the mines and families both are but have a light to them signifying hope within the two worlds. The pictures or words would adequately tell the story by themselves but the combination bring you into the culture perfectly. This is a great book for 1st through 3rd graders.
November 18, 2009
I liked this book for its unusual subject. Pictures of mama working in the mine at her various jobs were interspersed with wordless spreads of her taking care of her family at home. Made me wonder what the father does for a living. A nice example of women in non-traditional roles.
May 16, 2014
A good story of a miner's family, from the perspective of mother and daughter. Some jobs are difficult, and others are hard, but being a miner is both. A lighthearted view of a dangerous job, yet frank and honest of the dangers, this book is best for a grade-school audience.
October 18, 2014
This story really is a story with layers and in many ways there is so much beneath the surface. Great for a society and issues conversation, along with roles and breaking through those roles...along with roles that are still there.
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September 20, 2016This is a beautifully written story about a woman who goes to work in the mines to take care of her family. The juxtaposition between her life in the mine and her life at home with her family is wonderful. This is a work of art.
May 6, 2011
The artistry in her writing is fabulous. Illustrations match the text for quality.
November 26, 2011
This is a good book to demostrate that sometimes women work and have a nontraditional job. Good for when having a lesson on different jobs we might have. Good for 1st up to 3rd grade.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews