Your Mommy Was Just Like You

By: Kelly Bennett
Illustrated By: David Walker
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: March 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-24798-9
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: March 2011

Grandmas are an entity all to themselves. Everyone can remember sitting in Grandma's lap; she was always the one who soothed you when you cried, or hugged you when Mommy had "that face" on her that made her look like a very angry Frankenstein. Grandma was also the one who told you stories, gave you candy, and was the owner of the biggest heart on the face of the planet as far as you were concerned.

In this fantastic children's book, the wonderful Grandma explains how much alike you are with the child she raised. She sits down and tells you about the beautiful way you do things, and the amazing light that turns on in your eyes when you stare up at the perfect rainbow or grasp on to the perfect dream. She knows that you're smart and sassy; she knows that you have the talent and creativity locked in your soul that your Mommy passed down to you. She can also tell you that when you're bad and are a little on the "angry" side, that you get that from that 'Frankenstein' lady who sometimes stands in the kitchen, grumbling and mumbling about something that you did.

Grandma tells you how your own Mommy used to explore nature, and collect things like rocks and flowers. She tells you how Mommy used to dress up in funny costumes and pretend she was Queen of all she surveyed (just like you do). Sharing with you information on Mommy's first day at school, and how scared she was to go into the building, she explains that your Mommy didn't even know how to read and write, but she practiced and learned and got smarter and smarter...and you will too.

Every single word in this book is a true festival of life - a true celebration of the family that surrounds you every day and how they will work for you, love you, and stand behind you no matter what obstacle may get in your way. One of the most beautiful lines in the story is when Grandma tells her grandchild how every day when she woke up she said "a prayer of thanks" that her child was in her life. And Mommy, your Mommy, does the same thing. No matter the hardships, bad days, or "Frankenstein" moments, you should be proud to be like your Mommy, because you'll grow up with the same love, courage, and strength that your Mommy has deep inside her soul. And, after all, you have to believe what she says...because she's Grandma.

As we all know, there are houses that match the buyer; dogs that match the owner; jobs that match the worker...and this book matches this reviewer. As a person who lives in a home with a trio of women - Grandma, Mommy (Me), and daughter - three generations who are alike in some ways and completely different in others, it's a joy to watch the light in my own mother's eyes when her granddaughter does something that reminds her of what I used to do...even the bad stuff that makes her look like the "Frankenstein" I remember when I was just a child.

Quill Says: A perfect celebration of family and love with beautiful, touching illustrations to go with a heart-warming story!