P. D. Eastman (1909–1986)

Mr. Bird loves his nest, but Mrs. Bird is discontent, so off they go to find a new one. It's a nice enough story about taking your blessings for granted, though perhaps a bit sexist in Mrs. Bird's erratic portrayal being chalked up to hormones in the end.

Rated "Good" in our old book database by Rod and Adelia, Oct. 5, 2002.

An owl doesn't have a lot of choices for friends to play with at night since most of the other animals are asleep. The firefly who does want to play has a mischievous streak that shows he still has some life lessons to learn.

The plot turns are silly and ridiculous at times, but it's still a fun little book to share with a child.

FOR REFERENCE:

#1448 in our old book database. Rated "Good" by Rod and Adelia.

The central idea for the book Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman is finding security and a sense of belonging. The little bird’s journey represents the universal need for connection and the reassurance that comes from knowing where we belong. Eastman explains these themes through the bird’s repetitive questioning and encounters with various animals and objects. Each refusal deepens the bird’s anxiety, but the eventual reunion with his mother provides a comforting resolution. The baby show more bird begins the story vulnerable and uncertain, freshly hatched and left alone while his mother searches for food. His determination to find her shows early independence, even as he struggles to define what a “mother” is. Although he faces confusion and discouragement throughout his journey, his perseverance reflects growth.
Eastman uses characterization, repetition, and humor to engage young readers. The bird’s simple dialogue asking every creature and object “Are you my mother?” This reflects the innocents of childhood. The cumulative structure builds anticipation, while the absurd encounters with animals and adds humor. The illustrations are simple yet effective, using clean lines and muted colors to highlight the bird’s smallness in contrast to the larger world. The exaggerated size of the “Snort” compared to the bird underlines his vulnerability but also his bravery. Visual repetition mirrors the textual repetition, reinforcing the rhythm of the story and helping early readers anticipate what comes next.
The story resonates with children because it mirrors their own feelings of separation anxiety, curiosity, and the need for reassurance. Many young readers can relate to the fear of being lost or alone, and the story provides comfort by showing that persistence leads back to safety and love. show less

I get mild anxiety about getting lost, so some tension was building up in my stomach the farther away from the nest the bird wandered. How lucky for the little bird that the Snort (either a sentient machine, or manned by an uncredited operator, it is not revealed it the book) was kind enough to return him to his nest, and that none of the other animals tried to harm him! What if he had met a snake, or a hawk?

This is obviously also a reminder to parents to immediately teach their kids about show more Stranger Danger. The book is also forgiven for being written in the era that it was, but this could also be a start to open up a good dialogue about how some people don't have just one mother (which makes us wonder where the father is in this scenario), but sometimes two mothers or two daddies, or one daddy. Further topics of discussion could lead to the advantages and disadvantages of the nuclear family vs. tribal way of bringing up a child in a large community, and even how, if baby bird (boy) looks for mother (female), and what if it was a girl baby bird, would she look for father? Good intro to Oedipus/Electra complex right there. Out of all the animals though, why is it the machine that ends up being helpful? Why did the other animals either say nothing, or simply deny the connection, without going a step further? Does this mean machines are more capable of compassion? And how could have the baby bird suspected that a plane and ship could be his mother? What does that say about forming emotional attachments to inanimate objects? Could infants display signs of such mental illness so early? Or do they outgrow this as they pick up cues from society on what is and what is not allowed?

You guys know I'm kidding right? Anyway, I could imagine reading this out loud easily, with feeling, and look forward to finding out how it will be received by an actual child. Personally though I still prefer Runaway Bunny. show less