When Mama Gets Home

by Marisabina Russo

Mama is almost home from work! But first the young narrator and her sister and brother have a lot to do. They will set the table and peel the vegetables and get things ready. And when Mama does get home, they have so much to tell her about their day. But because she is Mama, she has time for each one of them. Marisabina Russo once again proves that her aim is true when it comes to focusing on the likes, dislikes, and needs of young children.

Genres: Picture Books

2 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 1998

Reviews

[J. Boo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lousy illustrations back this dull story of a group of latchkey siblings waiting at home for their (strongly implied) single mother to get back. Then she gets back, and we see their joyless bedtime routine.

I'm going to give it two stars because it made me go hug my spouse.

[Mario Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can relate so much to this book, as I was once a child that couldn't wait 'til my mother arrived home from work each day, and I believe that I was not alone in this feeling. I love how the book showed the little girl and her siblings doing chores around the house, without nagging and in fact, with a smile on their faces. The book stated that it was printed in 1988, and its illustrations appear to be of the kind that was seen in a lot of books from the 80's, however its copyright dates back to 1998. Either way, the message of the importance of family is strong in this book, and seeing kids be this responsible is not something that is often seen in current books. Therefore, I believe that this book would be great to share with kids who complain about having to do chores, and whom need to understand that their moms love them very much, despite some of them being away for most of the day, due to having to work.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, memorable story about a working mother whose children pitch in to help keep the family close.

The narrator recounts how they pitch in together: she, her big brother and big sister. We learn details about how the children take care to make the family dinner special.

Other details about the street -- how their bustling neighborhood looks out the window -- supplement what we learn about the family ritual.

The dialog is so realistic. The mother's role in keeping the family together? I find it so beautiful.

RATING THIS BOOK

FIVE STARS aren't all I'm going to give this picture book. I'm shelving it under WRITING and HIGHEST PRAISE. Such a heartwarming, sincere, and helpful story!

[Jazmyne Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fiction narrative tells the story of a young girl and the responsibilities that her and her siblings have while their mother is at work. The young girl telling the story shares in the joys that she has with her mother every day. No father is mentioned so I assume that she is a single mother. The characters in the story were not named from the young girl's perspective they were Mama, Sister, and Brother. Although I like the book I don't think that I would use it during literacy instruction because it does not sure many different writing styles that I think are important. The Author uses this story to somewhat tell her story as a child and she dedicates this story to her mother. Russo was the young girl in the story who admired her mother, the work that she, and the fact that she took care of them alone. The Author does a good job in describing the household jobs that almost everyone has to get done. Russo does a good job making connections to the real world. This book shows that you can have a family even if Dad or Mom or both are not around. Family is just having a support system that you can love and rely on

[Enasia Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This narrative tells about a young girl and her siblings getting ready for their mom to get home from work. The author Marisabina Russo, captures the voice of this young girl doing her chores before she gets home. For example, putting a pot of water on the stove, peeling carrots, washing chicken, and cleaning up. The author does not specifically state that there is no father in the family, but it is safe to assume that they are in a single family home. I would use this story to describe that all families are different, and although you may not have a mother or a father, families can still love each other the same.The author connects to the story because Marisabina Russo was a single parent. Also, this story can help students understand sequencing and the order of events in a story. I would use this book for Pre-K or Kindergarten.

[Armanda Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book because it could be used to teach the students about how important it is to be helpers in their homes. In the story the characters are working diligently to prepare for the retunr of their mom from work. She gets there and dinner is prepared and all three of her children are so eager to tell her about their day. Most children can relate to the excitement that they feel when mom,dad,grandma, etc. arrive home from their daily duties and they have stories to share.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

When mama gets home, she's freaking tired. And in this book, all her children are happy to see her, they've started dinner, and everything is great. I appreciate the effort to write a book with a single working parent, but this was a tad too sickly sweet for me. Or maybe I'm just bitter :-)

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A child reviews her after school schedule, that includes preparing the house with her brother and sister for her mother's arrival home from work, along with their nighttime routine.