Everything Is Mama
Common Sense says
- Jimmy Fallon
- Picture Book
- 2017
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Everything Is Mama, by The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon is the follow-up to his first picture book, Your Baby's First Word Will Be DADA. Like the first one, this one seems more directed at parents of babies and toddlers than the kids themselves (it's about teaching kids words). But little ones will be amused by the cute, cartoon-style baby animals and their parents.
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What's the story?
When animal parents try to teach their kids the names of objects and things in nature, they find EVERYTHING IS MAMA to these tykes. A bear says "BALL," and the cub replies "MAMA." A duck says "BOAT," and the duckling says "MAMA." This pattern repeats for several animal pairs, until the unseen narrator concludes with a sentimental, mom-pleasing couplet: "Everything is Mama according to you. But one day you'll see, Mama's EVERYTHING is YOU."
Is it any good?
The animals are adorable, and toddlers may learn a few words, but this book's sentimental message at the end seems designed more for moms than kids. The premise of Everything Is Mama -- that a kid would call a balloon "Mama" when a parent says it's "Balloon" -- is pretty contrived, seeming to serve primarily as a setup for the big message at the end. And that message's wording and meaning could be challenging for a toddler to grasp: that "one day you'll see Mama's everything is you." But this companion to author Jimmy Fallon's dad-centric first book will probably be a hit at baby showers.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the animals in Everything Is Mama. How many of the animals can you name? Do you know what sounds they make?
What's your favorite animal in the book?
What's the funniest picture in the story?
Book details
- Author: Jimmy Fallon
- Illustrator: Michael Ordoñez
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Wild Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
- Publication date: October 10, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 1 - 3
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: April 2, 2021
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