Mama, Don't Go! 08/05/09

Mama, Don't Go! by Rosemary Wells is the first in the Yoko and Friends School Days series. It's Yoko's first day of preschool and she's mortified. She wants to play with the other kids but she doesn't want her mother to leave. Mama, with the patience of a saint, agrees to stay with Yoko at school not one but through three days of school!

The story is about separation anxiety and the fears that some young children might have about going to school. Yoko's biggest fear is that her mother won't come back. As the older kids tell her, "after awhile, you have ask them to stay home." (p. 16) Yoko does eventually learn the importance of going to school and giving her mother some free time.

I picked up this book for two reasons. First and foremost were the illustrations. Yoko and her mother are cats and Harriet adores books about cats. The second reason is that Harriet sometimes goes through crying jags at school and she certainly sees the new kids to her school crying when their parents leave. It therefore covers a topic that is relevant to her.

Other books in the series include:

• The School Play
• Halloween Play
• Be My Valentine
• Doris's Dinosaur
• The Germ Busters
• Bubble-Gum Radar
• The Secret Birthday
• Make New Friends
• When I Grow Up
• Read Me a Story Practice Makes Perfect
• Yoko Writes Her Name

Comments (2)

Comment #1: Thursday, August, 6, 2009 at 14:55:14

booklogged

I love that books teach us ways of coping and teach our children, too.

Comment #2: Monday, August 10, 2009 at 22:39:52

Pussreboots

Since posting my review of Mama, Dont' Go I've read two more books from the series with my kids: Yoko Writes Her Name and Yoko's Paper Cranes (review coming soon). On the strength of these three I recommend the whole series. I don't think you can go wrong with them.