No Time for Mother's Day - Softcover

Kindergarten-Grade 3-A pleasant offering for that special day. Charity is worried. There are only two days left until Mother's Day, and she can't decide on a present. Suddenly, it's Saturday, and things around the Chatfield house are hectic and noisy. Telephones are ringing, faxed messages are arriving, the dishwasher is noisy, timers are beeping, and Mom has dozens of errands to run. Worst of all, Charity's super-organized cousin has his gift selections all planned. However, in a moment of inspiration late that night, Charity devises the perfect gift for her mother: a day of peace and quiet, all to herself. The illustrations, done in ink and bright watercolors, have a light touch of humor, especially in the characters' expressions. A good companion to Jill Murphy's Five Minutes Peace (Magi, 1995), another humorous view of a mother in search of silence.
Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A refreshing story about Mother's Day features a terrifically thoughtful girl who comes up with just the right present. Charity, who is probably in first grade, hears from her teacher that there are two days until Mother's Day. She starts thinking about a gift, dismissing silly suggestions. The next day, she views her multi-tasking mother handling toast, dishwasher, phone, and microwave, maintaining a harried, frantic pace. Anxiety keeps Charity awake Saturday night till she thinks of the perfect gift. She unplugs the clocks and turns off ``everything that beeps or bleeps or buzzes.'' The clever and homey text is illustrated with comic scenes that exaggerate the mother's busy life withoutfor most householdsmaking it absurd. Charity's care in coming up with a present is subtly conveyed, making the lesson far more powerful. (Picture book. 5-7) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.