Are You My Mother?

Are You My Mother?

Written by: P.D. Eastman
Genre:  picture books
Recommend ages 3-5 years old

Are You My Mother? is a picturebook fiction story about a hatchling bird. His mother, thinking her egg will stay in her nest where she left it, leaves her egg alone and flies off to find food. The baby bird hatches and does  not understand where his mother is so he goes to look for her. Since he's a new bird he doesn't know how to fly so he walks and in his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother, but none of them are. He refuses to give up and continues his search. In desperation, the hatchling cries out  "I want my mother!." At that moment, the Snort which is a crane drops the hatchling into his nest, and his mother returns. The two are united and the baby bird recounts to his mother the adventures he had looking for her.

The art is illustrated by P.D. Eastman and is considered line art which is simple and attractive for young readers.

Questions:

What is your favorite part of the story?
Why do you think the baby bird could not fly?
Would you have waited or gone searching if you were the baby bird?

Activity:

Have children discuss the dangers that the baby bird could have faced for leaving the nest to early.

Have children draw a picture of their mother. (attachment enclosed)
Have children draw a line to match the Mother. (attachment enclosed)

 

 

Bibliography:

Eastman, P. D. (1998). Are you my mother? New York, NY: Random House.