Brisson, Pat: Mama Loves Me From Away.

Brisson, Pat MAMA LOVES ME FROM AWAY. ISBN1-56397-966-7. Il. by Laurie Caple. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2004. 32 pp. $15.95. In a few short pages, Brisson magically conveys the bond between a single mother and her child and the heart-wrenching sadness they both feel when the mom has to spend time in prison. Sugar struggles with missing her morn, especially the stories her mama used to tell her. On their shared birthday, Sugar goes to visit her mom, desperately wanting a present although she knows that it is unlikely she will get one. Knowing what Sugar misses, her morn gives the most precious giftpossible--her stories. The-reader can see Sugar reading the stories at 8 o'clock each night, while at the same time her mother sits in her cell and whispers the words of the story as if Sugar were there. This story is unexpectedly moving, and a discussion around the reader's feelings upon hearing the story would be beneficial to the child. This book provides the opportunity to introduce a discussion on an often painful experience of many young children separated from a parent or loved one. Ages 4-8. Reviewed by Isabel Killoran, York University, Toronto, ON