I liked this book as a writing model half because of the words and half because of the illustrations (which I guess still counts??). I loved that the book told us exactly what it wanted us to know, but then elaborated with the illustrations. In this particular story, the elaboration was mainly in the form of little memory bubbles and italicized texts when Maxine was speaking. This does wonders for putting you in the place of the character and really allowing you to feel how they feel and think alongside them. I flagged this one, I will definitely be saving this for the future to have in my classroom.. I'm also bringing it home this weekend to share with my Mom :) ( )

Maxine decides she wants a new mother - the kind who won't tell her to wash her face or wear her sunhat - in this sweet picture-book exploration of learning to appreciate what one has. Her "old" mother gamely agrees to help her in her search, but Maxine discovers to her surprise that all the mothers in the park are just as strict, if not more so, than her own. The mothers in the zoo, moreover, seem to have some of the same characteristics - grooming, shielding their young from the sun - that irked her so much. Is it possible that she already has the best mother of all...?

Naturally the answer to that is yes, something Maxine discovers for herself as she thinks of all the wonderful activities that she and her mother enjoy together. I appreciated the fact that Maxine's mother lets her explore the idea of having another mother, rather than getting upset or defensive. I would imagine that might be a challenge for many, but this "best mother" is definitely up to it. Pairing a heartwarming tale from first-time author C.M. Surrisi with adorable artwork from veteran illustrator Diane Goode, The Best Mother would make an excellent picture-book for Mother's Day, or any other time of the year. ( )

when you were young, did you ever wish you had another mother? I did, and so did Maxine. One day she wakes up and decides this is the day: she will go to the park, a toy store, and the zoo to find herself a new mom....but how will she get to the park? her "now" mom takes her to the park where she interviews many mothers. I giggled looking at the mom hiding in the bushes and behind the trees to hear what Maxine and the women are saying. In the end, Maxine comes to the conclusion that there is no better mother for her than the one she already has. She is the best mother ( )