Papa Small

Mr. Small #8

by Lois Lenski

In the dedication to her readers, Lois Lenski “For all the children who ‘Is there a Mama Small and Baby Small?’ Yes, Papa Small has a family. Here they are—with my love. Your friend, Lois Lenski.” Children will love seeing Papa Small and his family do many of the same things that their families do.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, 1st Grade

56 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Lenski

Many of Lenski's books can be collated into 'series' - but since they don't have to be read in order, you may be better off just looking for more information here: http://library.illinoisstate.edu/uniq...

Probably her most famous set is the following:
American Regional Series

Beginning with Bayou Suzette in 1943, Lois Lenski began writing a series of books which would become known as her "regional series." In the early 1940s Lenski, who suffered from periodic bouts of ill-health, was told by her doctor that she needed to spend the winter months in a warmer climate than her Connecticut home. As a result, Lenski and her husband Arthur Covey traveled south each fall. Lenski wrote in her autobiography, "On my trips south I saw the real America for the first time. I saw and learned what the word region meant as I witnessed firsthand different ways of life unlike my own. What interested me most was the way children were living" (183).
In Journey Into Childhood, Lenski wrote that she was struck by the fact that there were "plenty of books that tell how children live in Alaska, Holland, China, and Mexico, but no books at all telling about the many ways children live here in the United States"

Bayou Suzette.
Strawberry Girl.
Blue Ridge Billy.
Judy's Journey.
Boom Town Boy.
Cotton in My Sack.
Texas Tomboy.
Prairie School.
Corn-Farm Boy.
San Francisco Boy.
Flood Friday.
Houseboat Girl.
Coal Camp Girl.
Shoo-Fly Girl.
To Be a Logger.
Deer Valley Girl.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

This is the book Lois Lenski wrote in response to the many fans of Mr. Small who wrote to ask if he had a family. The story is sweet and charming as are the illustrations. It's old-fashioned, yes, but I think that is a large part of its charm. Here is is taken as a matter of course that Mama Small stays home while Papa Small goes to the office, that the family enjoys afternoon drives and attends church together every week. Yet certainly the family love and the cozy home could be appreciated by many families today, even those who might not engage in all the traditional roles and activities the Small family enjoys. Also, I did not find the book overly patriarchal. It is clear that Mama Small enjoys her work as a stay-at-home-mom and Papa Small even helps out with household chores sometimes. It might seem too "Leave it to Beaver" for some families today, but we also find many families today where women are stay-at-home mothers and it's nice to see a book that celebrates that role, though perhaps Mama Small didn't have a choice and today's women do. At heart, both Papa and Mama Small seem engaged in their children's lives, and that is a quality that I hope will never get too "old-fashioned".

[Brianna Bratrud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Small books and Mary does too! This one is especially fun because it shows her things that daddy does which include a full-time job (in Mary’s toddler words “Work all day!”) and household chores. It shows the Mama happy to manage her household, and the kids helping out on almost every single page. It ends with them going to church. It’s very simple and wouldn’t do well to over-analyze it (yes, real life family roles are much more dynamic than this and it’s a somewhat isolated picture of a family (no living in community or depending on neighbors) but the point is just to be a simple story of the family. Classic and sweet illustration and Lois Lenski’s signature simple descriptions.

[amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0⭐️

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cute "Mr. Small" book by Lois Lenski. I was a little worried about reading this to the kids because it does portray an idealized, stereotypical American family ca. the 1950s. In other words, the kids in the story had a traditional nuclear family with a mom and a dad at home living with them. This is not the living arrangement in my niece and nephew's family.

The kids took this all in stride, though, and just enjoyed the happy, simple, Americana ideal presented to them in this book. My nephew in particular enjoys these gentle books, and it makes me happy that these can keep his attention just as easily as Batman, Spider-man, or Transformers.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very traditional family is portrayed in this old-fashioned picture book. Nonetheless, Papa Small helps Mama Small with things like cleaning and hanging up the laundry and the whole family goes grocery shopping together. Our family operates very similarly to the Smalls, and our kids love to compare ("we do that, too!").

[Patsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty progressive family for 1951. Though Mama Small makes dinner and does dishes while Papa rests, Papa does make Sunday dinner; and when Papa mows the lawn, Mama rests. Actually, not that different from my own childhood family. I loved this little book.

[Brian Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

precious and timeless. a must for the littles in your home. pictures a lovely family unit working together.

[Stasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations of the family going to church best. I'm always amazed at what Lenski was able to accomplish with so little, it went a long way!!

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Papa and his family go through a day/week/year of life doing ordinary things. Rather patriarchal but delightful in its own way.

Read for SW storytime and SD requested it later, so that's a win!

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the illustrations and the book is amazing.

[Catwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children's literature, picture book - © 1951 Reading level: end of first grade, interest level: K-2 Black and white with blue illustrations.
Mid 20th century family values, activities, "a week in the life of . . . "

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the dedication to her readers, Lois Lenski wrote: “For all the children who asked: ‘Is there a Mama Small and Baby Small?’ Yes, Papa Small has a family. Here they are—with my love. Your friend, Lois Lenski.” Children will love seeing Papa Small and his family do many of the same things that their families do.In the dedication to her readers, Lois Lenski wrote: “For all the children who asked: ‘Is there a Mama Small and Baby Small?’ Yes, Papa Small has a family. Here they are—with my love. Your friend, Lois Lenski.” Children will love seeing Papa Small and his family do many of the same things that their families do.In the dedication to her readers, Lois Lenski wrote: “For all the children who asked: ‘Is there a Mama Small and Baby Small?’ Yes, Papa Small has a family. Here they are—with my love. Your friend, Lois Lenski.” Children will love seeing Papa Small and his family do many of the same things that their families do.In the dedication to her readers, Lois Lenski wrote: “For all the children who asked: ‘Is there a Mama Small and Baby Small?’ Yes, Papa Small has a family. Here they are—with my love. Your friend, Lois Lenski.” Children will love seeing Papa Small and his family do many of the same things that their families do.In the dedication to her readers, Lois Lenski wrote: “For all the children who asked: ‘Is there a Mama Small and Baby Small?’ Yes, Papa Small has a family. Here they are—with my love. Your friend, Lois Lenski.” Children will love seeing Papa Small and his family do many of the same things that their families do.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book for young children. A
simple story line.

Illustrations are nice and appropriate not
incredibly beautiful.

I read this book when I was older--I might
have appreciated it more if I had read it when
I was younger.

This children's book was written in 1951
and it is so TOTALLY 1950's which I
find sortof amusing and I actually really
like.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and charming, it's hard not to squeal. Papa Small hangs out the laundry while Mama Small uses an old-fashioned ringer. Papa Small shaves while the small Smalls look on. Papa Small reads to the children while Mama Small turns down the beds.

My three-year-old and I are both in love with this book.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on this, the book Mama Small should be very, very short, because Papa Small pretty much does everything, from working all day to hanging the clothes to practically farming to fixing things around the house, going shopping, and helping with the cooking.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like that the English translation is right underneath the French. Good practice book.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

We discovered Lois Lenski through this and Cowboy Small. These books are fun for our different-looking family.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood books. Loved the words. Automobile. :)

[Jayda Safford · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am learning Spanish

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

actually read the bilingual version of this book but can't find that option and Goodreads. I found it pretty easy to figure out the English even without needing to look at that translation