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The Little Big Book For Moms
The Little Big Book for Moms is packed with all the fun, magic, and wonder of early childhood in a beautifully designed, chunky little package. Illustrated throughout with early 20th-century work by artists like Jessie Wilcox Smith and Ida Waugh, this is a delicious treasure for the expectant mother to savor in anticipation, and for the new mother to share with her little ones.
Mother Goose, the brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, e.e. cummings, E.B. White, J.M. Barrie, Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash and Lewis Carroll are like old friends bearing gifts of song, verse, and tales for the new child. Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan, and Goldilocks are but a few of the other well-loved characters who visit these pages.
And there's more! Mother and child will delight in activities like finger games and hand shadows. There are recipes for making play dough, soap bubbles, chicken soup, and applesauce. And, when the little ones are finally asleep and mom needs reminding of how adorable they really are, there are excerpts celebrating children and motherhood by such authors as Susan Cheever and Anne Lamott.
Mother Goose, the brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, e.e. cummings, E.B. White, J.M. Barrie, Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash and Lewis Carroll are like old friends bearing gifts of song, verse, and tales for the new child. Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan, and Goldilocks are but a few of the other well-loved characters who visit these pages.
And there's more! Mother and child will delight in activities like finger games and hand shadows. There are recipes for making play dough, soap bubbles, chicken soup, and applesauce. And, when the little ones are finally asleep and mom needs reminding of how adorable they really are, there are excerpts celebrating children and motherhood by such authors as Susan Cheever and Anne Lamott.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2000
9 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 15, 2024
The idea of this book is sensational. As the front cover describes, it's a book that has Fairy Tales, Poetry, Nursery Rhymes, Songs, Stories, Activities, Finger Games, and Recipes. So let's break this down.
Fairy Tales - Light purple pages with one or two full illustrated pages.
These are all well known fairy tales that are great picks for a children's book. However, I the book authors wrote these particular versions themselves... and they are not good. The basic plots are, of course, the same, but there is a lot to be desired in the story telling itself. A fairy tale can have a sweet tone, a more serious tone, a funny tone - but here the authors try for all of them, and they don't achieve a good balance. Somehow the fairy tales feel overly censored AND especially dark. Huh? Worst of all, there are a few glaring grammar errors. The wrong use of the word "your" and missing periods - basic things like that. Editors, c'mon!
Poetry - Dark blue pages.
These are poems picked from various artists. Some are absolute excellent to read to children (for example, choices from Shel Silverstein and Lewis Carroll). But most are mostly aimed toward adults. One firm example is "Children's Hour" by Longfellow. This one in particular is ABOUT children and not FOR children. So it's basically up to the parent to vet which poems to read aloud, and which fall under the "For Moms" category.
Nursery Rhymes - Muted green pages, with large typeface and background artwork.
The rhymes are excellent choices. I did notice that almost every rhyme wasn't quite the wording I am used to, so I suspect the ones in this book are more true to the rhyme origins. In some cases, the "current" versions are a little softened, or the wording is a bit modernized. My young child really liked to look at the artwork, but as an adult I noticed that the artwork didn't always fit with the rhyme, and occasionally seemed very random.
Songs - Light green pages with a second full page illustration.
The primary differences between the songs and the nursery rhymes are that the printing is small, and there is accompanying (short) sheet music. I give these essentially the same review as the rhymes. They are great choices, have slightly different lyrics than what I'm used to, and have occasional accompanying illustrations that do not relate to the material.
Stories - Dark yellow pages.
Here we have well chosen excerpts from children's books. They are good read-alouds, and nice taste for the larger chapter book to come.
However.
In the same category (same color, font, style) are adult essays that are NOT meant for children. These are non-fiction writings talking about motherhood. Some get pretty dark (discussing postpartum depression or thoughts of abortion) and there's some mild swearing. All of these do end up with positive thoughts about the joy of motherhood, but this is the primary reason why you wouldn't want this book to be perused by a young child on their own.
Activities/Recipes - Light yellow pages.
These were decent ideas to kind of flush out the book. Most of these, for me, were kind of a "take 'em or leave 'em" type thing. None of the recipes struck me as unique (chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, etc.), but it could be good to have a suggested pre-made list. It was pretty much the same with the activities. It might be good to have some suggestions tucked away, but nothing stuck out.
Finger games - Light blue pages.
This was probably one of my favorite aspects. I don't remember a lot of rhymes with basic hand motions from childhood (my brain pretty much stops at "Patty Cake"), and it was nice to get more on file. There are simple accompanying drawings that are easy to follow. It was a great addition, and something I didn't even know I wanted.
So. It's marketed as a book "For Moms". Definitely so, since there is non-kid friendly material, and the recipes/activities are for the adults to do the heavy lifting, and for kids to help. But intertwined is large typeface and frequent illustrations that are pretty definitely aimed toward kiddos. So do you read it and show your child the pictures? Do you read it with your child, but only let them see certain pages? Also it's a small book in stature (very cute) but big in heft - 350 pages. Whose shelf is this designed for?
I do really like this concept, but somehow it didn't quite come together. I'm also still pretty sore about how poorly I thought the fairy tales (in theory, my favorite piece) were written.
Fairy Tales - Light purple pages with one or two full illustrated pages.
These are all well known fairy tales that are great picks for a children's book. However, I the book authors wrote these particular versions themselves... and they are not good. The basic plots are, of course, the same, but there is a lot to be desired in the story telling itself. A fairy tale can have a sweet tone, a more serious tone, a funny tone - but here the authors try for all of them, and they don't achieve a good balance. Somehow the fairy tales feel overly censored AND especially dark. Huh? Worst of all, there are a few glaring grammar errors. The wrong use of the word "your" and missing periods - basic things like that. Editors, c'mon!
Poetry - Dark blue pages.
These are poems picked from various artists. Some are absolute excellent to read to children (for example, choices from Shel Silverstein and Lewis Carroll). But most are mostly aimed toward adults. One firm example is "Children's Hour" by Longfellow. This one in particular is ABOUT children and not FOR children. So it's basically up to the parent to vet which poems to read aloud, and which fall under the "For Moms" category.
Nursery Rhymes - Muted green pages, with large typeface and background artwork.
The rhymes are excellent choices. I did notice that almost every rhyme wasn't quite the wording I am used to, so I suspect the ones in this book are more true to the rhyme origins. In some cases, the "current" versions are a little softened, or the wording is a bit modernized. My young child really liked to look at the artwork, but as an adult I noticed that the artwork didn't always fit with the rhyme, and occasionally seemed very random.
Songs - Light green pages with a second full page illustration.
The primary differences between the songs and the nursery rhymes are that the printing is small, and there is accompanying (short) sheet music. I give these essentially the same review as the rhymes. They are great choices, have slightly different lyrics than what I'm used to, and have occasional accompanying illustrations that do not relate to the material.
Stories - Dark yellow pages.
Here we have well chosen excerpts from children's books. They are good read-alouds, and nice taste for the larger chapter book to come.
However.
In the same category (same color, font, style) are adult essays that are NOT meant for children. These are non-fiction writings talking about motherhood. Some get pretty dark (discussing postpartum depression or thoughts of abortion) and there's some mild swearing. All of these do end up with positive thoughts about the joy of motherhood, but this is the primary reason why you wouldn't want this book to be perused by a young child on their own.
Activities/Recipes - Light yellow pages.
These were decent ideas to kind of flush out the book. Most of these, for me, were kind of a "take 'em or leave 'em" type thing. None of the recipes struck me as unique (chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, etc.), but it could be good to have a suggested pre-made list. It was pretty much the same with the activities. It might be good to have some suggestions tucked away, but nothing stuck out.
Finger games - Light blue pages.
This was probably one of my favorite aspects. I don't remember a lot of rhymes with basic hand motions from childhood (my brain pretty much stops at "Patty Cake"), and it was nice to get more on file. There are simple accompanying drawings that are easy to follow. It was a great addition, and something I didn't even know I wanted.
So. It's marketed as a book "For Moms". Definitely so, since there is non-kid friendly material, and the recipes/activities are for the adults to do the heavy lifting, and for kids to help. But intertwined is large typeface and frequent illustrations that are pretty definitely aimed toward kiddos. So do you read it and show your child the pictures? Do you read it with your child, but only let them see certain pages? Also it's a small book in stature (very cute) but big in heft - 350 pages. Whose shelf is this designed for?
I do really like this concept, but somehow it didn't quite come together. I'm also still pretty sore about how poorly I thought the fairy tales (in theory, my favorite piece) were written.
September 15, 2019
I love the illustrations in this book. I just love vintage pictures. The rest was okay and enjoyable to read thru.
December 31, 2020
This is not the kind of book I'd usually rate on Goodreads. First of all I'm a little embarrassed to be seen reading it in the first place; it's totally looks like the kind of book that is just a cute gift you receive at your shower, goes immediately onto the shelf, and is never paged through again.
But the recipes are fantastic (and relatively easy). My kid LOVES all the songs, and I'd never have remembered the lyrics without it. The fairy tales and poems have gotten us through some rainy days, as have some of the crafts (peanut butter play-doh, however, was a flop. It's too greasy to play with outside of the kitchen, not to mention it really just looks like you're playing with poop). The Victorian illustrations and layout just make it a fun book to flip through.
I've dog-eared like half the pages. It's becoming a little beat-up. "Want the Moms book?" my kid says, heaving it off the shelf. It's great. Next edition, I hope they opt for "The Little Big Book for Parents" -- no need to gender this resource.
But the recipes are fantastic (and relatively easy). My kid LOVES all the songs, and I'd never have remembered the lyrics without it. The fairy tales and poems have gotten us through some rainy days, as have some of the crafts (peanut butter play-doh, however, was a flop. It's too greasy to play with outside of the kitchen, not to mention it really just looks like you're playing with poop). The Victorian illustrations and layout just make it a fun book to flip through.
I've dog-eared like half the pages. It's becoming a little beat-up. "Want the Moms book?" my kid says, heaving it off the shelf. It's great. Next edition, I hope they opt for "The Little Big Book for Parents" -- no need to gender this resource.
June 23, 2024
Loved it for my daughter with her baby to sing and do the finger plays.
August 30, 2024
And now it's on its way to soon to be a mom, Jessica xo
November 15, 2010
I received this as a gift from my sister. I am loving this book. It has a bunch of songs, fairy tales, poems, stories, recipes, nursery rhymes and activities. It is crazy how many of the little songs, etc. I completely forgot about but was reminded of from this book. I also adore all of the vintage artwork.
June 19, 2010
Stories, rhymes, songs, poems from my childhood in one book. I received this as a gift when I was expecting my first child. This child has has now discovered it and loves to read it herself. The small chunky size is appealing and she enjoys the pictures.
December 27, 2010
I love this book and my kids do too! They're always pulling it off the shelf and perusing the old fashioned illustrations and asking me to read them a story. This book has a something for everyone including action songs, rhymes and recipes for comfort food favs. A great mommy reference book.
May 2, 2007
great gift for a new mom. my MIL gavew me this before having first child.
January 18, 2008
Love the format of this chunky book. Recipes for play dough and cookies, poems, finger play songs and short stories for your little ones. A wonderful addition to a nurturing mother's bookshelf.
May 23, 2010
Well-written fairy tales, poetry, humor, and songs. I read & sang from this from birth, so I'm making this my first great keepsake. There's a Dads and Grandmas version, too!
July 27, 2011
Really good for mom's or grandma's with toddlers. (I'll be saving my copy.) My favorite poem in it is by Maya Angelou; Life Doesn't Frighten Me.
April 23, 2012
This is a fabulous little book with everything from poems to fairy tales to recipes and crafts- especially for Mom and Baby. It was a great baby gift for us, and so far, we <3 this book!
February 25, 2013
A beautiful book that is full of stories, rhymes, songs, recipes and the most gorgeous vintage images.
Would make a lovely gift.
Would make a lovely gift.
February 20, 2016
Given to me by a dear friend, it was a wonderfully fun book to use with my child.
Read
September 13, 2017"I am filled with that mixture of happiness and sadness peculiar to mothers. Almost a year into motherhood, I have come to revel in this strange concoction. Because as I clap, tears streaming down my face, I see that it is this clapping, these tears, that are the weight and measure of my love."
"One thing about having a baby, is that each step of the way you simply cannot imagine loving him any more than you already do, because you are bursting with love, loving as much as you are humanly capable of-and then you do, you love him even more."
"One thing about having a baby, is that each step of the way you simply cannot imagine loving him any more than you already do, because you are bursting with love, loving as much as you are humanly capable of-and then you do, you love him even more."
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews