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Mama, Why?
"When the moon sails high in the arctic sky,
Polar Cub asks, "Mama, why?"
A polar bear cub asks his mother a multitude of "why" questions before he goes to Why is there a moon up in the sky? Why do we dream? Why are there stars in the sky? And why can't we see the stars during the day? Finally, once his Mama has explained everything to him, Mama ushers her little one off to sleep, explaining that she will sleep too, so she can dream about her dearest cub.
Polar Cub asks, "Mama, why?"
A polar bear cub asks his mother a multitude of "why" questions before he goes to Why is there a moon up in the sky? Why do we dream? Why are there stars in the sky? And why can't we see the stars during the day? Finally, once his Mama has explained everything to him, Mama ushers her little one off to sleep, explaining that she will sleep too, so she can dream about her dearest cub.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2011
1 person is currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Karma Wilson
108 books528 followersKarma Wilson grew up an only child of a single mother in the wilds of North Idaho. Way back then (just past the stone age and somewhat before the era of computers) there was no cable TV and if there had been Karma could not have recieved it. TV reception was limited to 3 channels, of which one came in with some clarity. Karma did the only sensible thing a lonely little girl could do…she read or played outdoors.
Playing outdoors was fun, but reading was Karma’s “first love” and, by the age 11, she was devouring about a novel a day. She was even known to try to read while riding her bike down dirt roads, which she does not recommend as it is hazardous to the general well being of the bike, the rider, and more importantly the book. Her reading preferences were fantasy (C.S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, etc…) and historical fiction (L.M. Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc…). Those tastes have not changed much.
Karma never considered writing as a profession because her mother was a professional writer which made it seem like mundane work. At the age of 27 she realized that she still loved well-written children’s books of all kinds, from picture books to young adult novels. By that time Karma was a wife and the mother of three young children. Trips to the library with her kids were a combination of emotions…a good book meant fun for all! But so many of the books weren’t what her children wanted to listen to.
Then a tax refund changed everything. With the money the family decided to invest in a computer. Karma was forced to learn to type. Combining her desire to make the expensive computer pay for itself, her new-found typing skill, and her love of children’s literature, Karma started writing for children. She wanted to put a few more good books on the library shelves and pay off that computer! Countless rejections and three years later Karma was finally accepted by book agent Steven Malk (who had already rejected her once, which she never lets him forget). Her first book, Bear Snores On, was released in 2002. The computer was paid for!
Since then Karma has had more than 30 books accepted for publication. Many of those are on the shelves of libraries and bookstores around the world. Her books have received numerous state and national awards, been translated into dozens of languages, and a few have made an appearance on the New York Times bestseller list. Karma sincerely hopes that her books bring joy to children and families everywhere.
Karma writes humorous, rhythmic picture books for the very young, and humorous and wistful poetry for the primary grades.
These days Karma lives with her handsome husband Scott, and her three not-so-young-anymore children, two dogs, two chickens and one cat on some modest but lovely acreage in NW Montana. Her hobbies include reading (of course), photography, baking, yoga, and a passion for Mixed Martial Arts.
Playing outdoors was fun, but reading was Karma’s “first love” and, by the age 11, she was devouring about a novel a day. She was even known to try to read while riding her bike down dirt roads, which she does not recommend as it is hazardous to the general well being of the bike, the rider, and more importantly the book. Her reading preferences were fantasy (C.S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, etc…) and historical fiction (L.M. Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc…). Those tastes have not changed much.
Karma never considered writing as a profession because her mother was a professional writer which made it seem like mundane work. At the age of 27 she realized that she still loved well-written children’s books of all kinds, from picture books to young adult novels. By that time Karma was a wife and the mother of three young children. Trips to the library with her kids were a combination of emotions…a good book meant fun for all! But so many of the books weren’t what her children wanted to listen to.
Then a tax refund changed everything. With the money the family decided to invest in a computer. Karma was forced to learn to type. Combining her desire to make the expensive computer pay for itself, her new-found typing skill, and her love of children’s literature, Karma started writing for children. She wanted to put a few more good books on the library shelves and pay off that computer! Countless rejections and three years later Karma was finally accepted by book agent Steven Malk (who had already rejected her once, which she never lets him forget). Her first book, Bear Snores On, was released in 2002. The computer was paid for!
Since then Karma has had more than 30 books accepted for publication. Many of those are on the shelves of libraries and bookstores around the world. Her books have received numerous state and national awards, been translated into dozens of languages, and a few have made an appearance on the New York Times bestseller list. Karma sincerely hopes that her books bring joy to children and families everywhere.
Karma writes humorous, rhythmic picture books for the very young, and humorous and wistful poetry for the primary grades.
These days Karma lives with her handsome husband Scott, and her three not-so-young-anymore children, two dogs, two chickens and one cat on some modest but lovely acreage in NW Montana. Her hobbies include reading (of course), photography, baking, yoga, and a passion for Mixed Martial Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 18, 2012
I seem to be struggling with this one. I had hoped to use it in storytime, perhaps paired with Polar Bear Night or Little Polar Bear. I liked the realistic polar bear images ... more yellow than white, which make it more believable that their skin underneath is dark*. The pictures are surreal - on the one hand reflecting nature and on the other highly imaginary to go with the text, which is of the mother bear's supernatural explanations of the night, the moon, and the stars.
*I like to point this out to children and describe how the combination of clear (not white) fur and dark skin help the polar bear to absorb heat during the day. It never hurts to insert a little science.
*I like to point this out to children and describe how the combination of clear (not white) fur and dark skin help the polar bear to absorb heat during the day. It never hurts to insert a little science.
February 11, 2013
This book was okay. It seemed very whiney to me. The biggest problem I had is that a cub as young as the one in the story would have been born in spring and raised in the summer months of the arctic. This means that there would be no stars and no moon as they are brightly and boldly portrayed in the story. Its the land of the midnight sun up there in the Arctic when Polar Bears are Cubs. I know the book is not realistic, because there are talking Polar Bears with strange emotions that Polar Bears wouldn't have, but the environment the author portrays is realistic and yet still doesn't match up to the realistic celestial environment that the book is so focused on in the story. A bit off-key to me.
September 11, 2011
A beautifully illustrated rhyming bedtime book. "when the moon sails high in the arctic sky, Polar Cub asks, 'Mama, why?'" Mama proceeds to answer her cub's many questions about the night. The stars tell tales to the moon - "of princes, pirates and queens, of palaces, kingdoms, and magical scenes." The moon turns these stories to dreams for polar bears. The illustrations are soft and dreamy and show the cold beauty of the arctic and the warmth of a mother's love. The end is a perfect passage to read just before tucking a child into bed.
April 23, 2011
Sugar coma!
September 26, 2019
What a beautiful picture book about the relationship between mother and child. The beautiful pictures of natural can only be described as magical in their beauty.
Talking points - what are some of your favorite places to go where you live? What are some of your favorite things to do with your Mom? Which picture in this book was your favorite and why?
Essential Oil Pairing Tip - Try pairing your favorite essential oil to diffuse with 2 drops of Myrrh. Some people think that Frankincense is the oils that connects you to your mother and that Myrrh is the oil that connects you to your mother. Myrrh pairs beautifully with so many oils; I think you'll love the combo.
Talking points - what are some of your favorite places to go where you live? What are some of your favorite things to do with your Mom? Which picture in this book was your favorite and why?
Essential Oil Pairing Tip - Try pairing your favorite essential oil to diffuse with 2 drops of Myrrh. Some people think that Frankincense is the oils that connects you to your mother and that Myrrh is the oil that connects you to your mother. Myrrh pairs beautifully with so many oils; I think you'll love the combo.
Read
April 30, 2024Intended Audience
This book is suitable for kids who are the ages of 5 and up.
Key themes
This book is about a loveable lullaby that is sung by a mama polar bear and her questionable baby polar bear. As they are cuddling together the baby polar bear, demands an answer to a lot of the questions he asks his mom.
Why I chose this book for my library.
I chose this book for my library because my future students can relate with asking their mom a lot of questions and also it highlights the relationship between the baby polar bear and his mother.
This book is suitable for kids who are the ages of 5 and up.
Key themes
This book is about a loveable lullaby that is sung by a mama polar bear and her questionable baby polar bear. As they are cuddling together the baby polar bear, demands an answer to a lot of the questions he asks his mom.
Why I chose this book for my library.
I chose this book for my library because my future students can relate with asking their mom a lot of questions and also it highlights the relationship between the baby polar bear and his mother.
March 22, 2019
A bedtime story of a mama polar bear and baby polar bear. Dreamy illustrations and rhyming text. Baby repeatedly asks why. Talks about the moon being the source of our dreams and that the moon is inspired by what the stars see during the day when they travel around. Also says that stardust is what we call snow.
February 5, 2017
The story was a clear step down from Wilson's other Bear series, but I'm glad this book introduced me to an amazing illustrator! The pictures were such a satisfying blend of realism (with the animals) and fantasy (polar bear cub trying to bite a star).
November 28, 2023
As night approaches and the moon rises in the sky, a polar cub asks his mother, why? With a gentle voice his mother responds to all of cub's questions with a story involving the relationship between the moon and the stars, and how together they help polar bears and cubs get a good night's sleep.
July 11, 2017
Absolutely gorgeous story!
July 18, 2017
Such a beautiful story with just darling pictures to match.
December 29, 2017
A little polar bear asks his mama "why?" about so many things. She explains that that moon and stars gather stories to share in his dreams. She finishes with sharing her love for him.
January 16, 2019
Written very beautifully. Almost like poetry. The illustrations are amazing. Such a warm, comfy bedtime story. Perfect for this winter season. Highly recommended!
July 5, 2024
My heart! Art 5 stars
August 14, 2017
This is a great story to read at bedtime. The illustrations are dreamy and beautiful.
September 24, 2013
This children's bedtime story uses a rhyming pattern to answer a series of questions asked by a polar cub to his mother. The two discuss the purpose of the moon and the stars, and the mother creates a depiction of where the moon and stars travel to during the day. The inquisitive cub is finally off to sleep when the mother urges him off to bed by ensuring that she will dream of him. This book is good for preschool aged children.
As a teacher, I would use this story to teach students how to use imagery. Imaging is something all readers do without evening noticing. Usually the author will write a book for you to visualize, feel and hear the events that happen within the story. The purpose is for students to be able imagine the story. I would read the story and allow students to visualize what I am reading without showing the illustrations. While I am reading, I will stop to let students share and discuss before proceeding with the story. Students will share with a partner what images they saw while I was reading. After the class has demonstrated the use of imagery, I will read the story a second time and show the illustrations. This time the story will be read with fluency.
As a teacher, I would use this story to teach students how to use imagery. Imaging is something all readers do without evening noticing. Usually the author will write a book for you to visualize, feel and hear the events that happen within the story. The purpose is for students to be able imagine the story. I would read the story and allow students to visualize what I am reading without showing the illustrations. While I am reading, I will stop to let students share and discuss before proceeding with the story. Students will share with a partner what images they saw while I was reading. After the class has demonstrated the use of imagery, I will read the story a second time and show the illustrations. This time the story will be read with fluency.
June 2, 2011
As the day draws to a close, a Polar Bear Cub asks its Mama "Why?" about a series of events such as why day turns to night. Mama, in turn, answers him in a series of rhyming lines, each designed to comfort her little one in preparation for ready for sleep. The mixed media illustrations are especially attractive with the polar ice sparkling, and the bears' fur shimmering in the moonlight. Some of the Mama's explanations are a bit long-winded and odd--Would polar bears dream of pirate ships, castles, and magic? I liked the footprints on the endpapers, Mama Bear plodding steadily on while Polar Cub dances along the side, sometimes not on the path laid by Mama.
May 6, 2011
While a departure from the author's character of "bear", this title features a mother and child polar bear duo enjoying the nighttime sights and winding down to bedtime. The cub, as a young child would do, asks "why?" about many things...the moon..stars. Beautifully illustrated with dreamy sequences overlaid in the nature scenes, this is a bedtime read that a child will ask for again and again.
May 16, 2011
Beautifully illustrated story of a young polar bear and his mother. The bear cub must be three years old because he keeps asking his mother "why?" His mother, how is a far more patient mother then I ever was during this stage, answers all his questions in sweet creative ways. To which the cub answers with another "why?" While the story is touching, the pictures really made this book. Also made me happy to no longer be a mother of a three year old.
August 29, 2013
The art was perfect for the story and it is so beyond beautiful for any age to see.
The words were very easy to read and I liked how they rhymed enough to make the story flow, as if they should be spoken instead of read.
I loved how it told a little bit about the stars and the snow, or should I say stardust?
This also would've been a good story if a child comes from a one parent home because of the ending, showing that the parent really does love her child more than anything else.
The words were very easy to read and I liked how they rhymed enough to make the story flow, as if they should be spoken instead of read.
I loved how it told a little bit about the stars and the snow, or should I say stardust?
This also would've been a good story if a child comes from a one parent home because of the ending, showing that the parent really does love her child more than anything else.
September 12, 2016
Pretty pictures and good rhyme. One of the "verses" starts with "And Polar Cub asks,/ 'Mama, why?'/ 'Moon is friends with/ the stars that glow,/ and the stars tell Moon/ the tales they know./ They tell him of princes,/ pirates and queens,/ or palaces, kingdoms, and magical scenes." It's all about a polar bear cub asking why mostly pertaining to the moon and stars and then it's just a nice bedtime rhyme. Very soothing and pretty pictures.
March 21, 2011
This is a often done story...mama polar bear with baby polar bear and something sweet and magical about their relationship. It is a sweet story which may not fully hold up to others in this category.
January 17, 2013
We concluded our "Polar Pals" story time with this endearing picture book -- the pictures are charming and the text is enchanting as mother bear becomes increasingly clever with her responses. Have you ever thought of snow as star dust?
May 31, 2017
I wasn't crazy about the text in this one, but the illustrations are incredibly beautiful. I'm not crazy about lullabies though, so I might not be the best person to ask about this. If you like lullabies with great illustrations, this would be a great choice.
December 5, 2016
This book is about where dreams come from. Baby Bear keeps asking Mama things like why the moon rises and why it gives us dreams. I could ask my class where they think dreams come from and explain things such as REM sleep.
March 19, 2011
Gentle and warm. Good bedtime reading.
March 22, 2011
Illustrator Simon Mendez did a standout job. Warm and cuddly ;-)
March 24, 2011
Great pictures (by Simon Mendez), okay story, not Wilson's usual.
March 31, 2011
Storytime uses: for older kids due to length. Bedtime or Bears
Different look for a Karma Wilson picture book. Soft, dreamlike illustrations that work well with bedtime lullaby storyline.
Different look for a Karma Wilson picture book. Soft, dreamlike illustrations that work well with bedtime lullaby storyline.
April 6, 2011
A bedtime book. A little on the cheesy-ish kind of side, but not bad. It's lulling and soft and tender, the way a getting-the-child-to-sleep book should be. The illustrations are wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews