Mama One, Mama Two

by Patricia MacLachlan, Ruth Lercher Bornstein (Illustrations)

A young child lives with a foster family until her own mother is well enough to care for her.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Love

32 pages, Library Binding

First published March 23, 1982

About the author

Patricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So some parents, teachers (and likely also some self proclaimed activists) might well want to consider Patricia MacLachlan’s 1982 picture book Mama One, Mama Two as perhaps being a much too positive and optimistic portrayal of a young girl (Maudie) going into fosters care. For indeed, there seem to be in Mama One, Mama Two no serious issues with anxiety, homesickness and the like (or scenarios much more problematic) textually depicted by Patricia MacLachlan, and that foster mother Katherine is not only shown by MacLachlan in Mama One, Mama Two as being totally sweet, totally understanding, but that she also repeatedly points out to her foster daughter that she, that Katherine will only be Maudie’s foster mother (her Mama Two) until Mama One, until Maudie’s biological mother is well enough with regard to her mental health issues to once again take care of her daughter on a permanent basis.

But considering that Mama One, Mama Two is a picture book and thus geared towards younger children, for me and in my humble opinion, Patricia MacLachlan’s text provides a gentle and non threatening general introduction to foster care, a bit overly tinted with the proverbial rose coloured eyeglasses perhaps, but the main storyline for Mama One, Mama Two is still sufficiently realistic and also does clearly show that prior to going into foster care, Maudie was definitely not getting adequate care and attention from her majorly depressed mother and often had to fend for herself regarding food and that after Maudie’s mother herself called the authorities and asked for help, a social worker came and set Maudie up in foster care with Katherine and also made sure that Maudie’s mother received the necessary mental health supports she requires (an inherently hopeful story, even though by the end of Mama One, Mama Two, Maudie is still with Katherine but with her return to her birth mother clearly looming in the near future).

Now with Ruth Lercher Bornstein’s illustrations for Mama One and Mama Two, while her accompanying artwork works pretty well successfully mirroring Patricia MacLachlan’s presented text, I do find Lercher Bornstein’s pictures a bit flatly one dimensional and also totally, utterly not at all ethnically diverse. And since with MacLachlan’s story as it appears in Mama One, Mama Two, there is actually no textual indication whatsoever about the ethnicity of the featured characters, I do certainly find it more than a trifle disappointing that ALL of the characters are illustratively rendered by Ruth Lercher Bornstain as Caucasian, as it certainly would make Mama One, Mama Two better and less one-sided if say the social worker for example would be drawn as African or Asian American.

[Oanh · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mama One, Mama Two" by Patricia MacLachlan is a third-person narrative that tells about the story of how a young girl was placed in foster care. The main character, Maudie, retells how, despite being very poor, she and her birth mother (Mama One) used to live happily together until Mama One became very unhappy one day for unknown reasons. This became such a problem that Mama One eventually sought help from a social worker who took Mama One to “a place where doctors and nurses could help her… a place where [she] could talk about being sad” and placed Maudie in a “for-a-while” home with a foster mom whom Maudie calls Mama Two.

As a teacher, I would use this text to address foster and single-parent families and to discuss some reasons why parents are not able to take care of their children anymore. Complemented by Ruth Lercher Bernstein’s lovely illustrations, MacLachlan manages to turn a sad situational story into a reassuring and uplifting tale that uses kid-friendly language (ex. “'for-a-while' home” instead of foster home, “Mama One, Mama Two” instead of birth mother and foster mom) and is appropriate for young children (On the way to her new foster home, the social worker explains to Maudie that, like how a bluebird migrates for the winter and returns in the spring, maybe Mama One will also come home in the spring.). MacLachlan also chooses to "show," and not tell about, depression through Mama One’s actions (ex. “She didn't paint bright pictures anymore… all her pictures were dark, and the yellowbirds were gone from the trees.”). I also appreciate that MacLachlan has personal experience from writing a series of journal articles on foster mothers that had a major impact on her life, which makes this story more genuine.

[Tim Vandenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly beautiful & touching book about a young girl (Maudie) in a foster home while her mother recovers from an unspecified medical/mental condition.

Excellent for teaching sympathy & compassion for those in real emotional need.

The second book ever published (1982) by the 1986 Newbery Medal winner Patricia MacLachlan (Sara, Plain & Tall). A portent of her superb award-winning writing to come!

Very recommended!

[Jessica Strozewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the themes of foster care and family. The story is told by a narrator, but the characters reveal the underlying story through dialogues. Maudie, a young girl, and Katherine or Mama 2 wake up when the baby cried in the other room. While caring for the baby, Maudie and Katherine co-tell the story of how Maudie was put with Katherine. Maudie and Katherine reveal that Mama 1, Maudie’s biological mother, was depressed and poor, Mama 1 called a social worker to help. He put Maudie in a new home where she could be taken care of and have a mother with good mental health. This book is unique in that it sympathizes with the biological parent. This book goes one step further and has the mother call CPS herself, which is rather rare. This is a good read for primary school readers going through foster care or wanting to learn more about it.

[Hannah Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maudie wakes up one night from the baby crying. Katherine comes in to give the baby a bottle and Maudie offers to feed her. Katherine and Maudie tell a story together that is dear to both of them. The story takes on a new meaning as Mama One, Mama two unfolds.

I loved this book more than any of the others I have read recently. The pictures aren't the most exciting and the colors aren't very vibrant but it is such a beautiful story . It caught me by surprise because I picked it up not knowing what it was about and read it.

This book would be a good to introduce the idea of foster homes to kids who don't know anything about them. It is very simple and doesn't go into detail but It can teach kids how everyone grows up differently and to always be loving.

[Callie Risse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a girl who has to leave her depressed mother to live in a foster home. I would read this book to my class whether any of my students were in a similar situation or not. I think it is important for children to learn about everyday occurances in the lives of others, even if they aren't especially pleasent.

[Sarah Zimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about a little girl who goes into a foster home because her actual mother is not able to take care of her anymore. This story is very touching and would be great to read to children to show that not everybody has their real mother or father taking care of them. It is also good to teach children about unique families.

[Candace Kaelin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a wonderful book to read to students. This is the first children's book I have read where due to adversity, the child must go to live in foster care. I think this would be a good read for students, because some of them might be able to relate to what is happening and make connections with their own lives.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Untraditional families is the theme in this book. It makes you ask a lot of questions that are not all answered. Remebering "your story" is an important part and remembering your past has shaped your present and will shape your future.

[Latorya Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The event of depression in a parent with a small child viewed the perspective of the child. Negative story with a positive ending that leave the reader with hope. Lots of inferences. Got a good feeling from the story.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful story about girl who lives with foster mom while own mom deals with mental illness. sweet and uplifting.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, if somewhat sanitized story for children in foster care.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book to explain foster care to children.

[Erin Brawner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who seems to go into foster care. It would be a good book to teach the class that not everyone has one mom and one dad.

[Sinika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, will probably keep it for my kids.

[Alexandria Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for teaching students about families, and how they are not all similar.

[Jackie Brewer]

I wasn’t expecting this book. It was actually a very sweet little story about foster care that was very respectful to all sides. I enjoy Patricia MacLachlan.