You Don't Look like Your Mother Book

Recounts in verse a robin's introduction to a number of animal infants who don't look like their mothers, including her own.

Children's Literature

Families seldom manage to produce members that look alike, but each member can be a unique and valuable part of any family. An important lesson for any child to learn is that there are no rules about what makes a family, and this tale demonstrates that looking alike is not what makes a family. A robin sits in a forest and observes a fawn, a caterpillar, a pollywog, ducklings and baby mice. None of the animals that the robin watches looks anything like their mother. But each child is claimed and cared for by a mother who recognizes them as her children, despite their different looks. The robin eventually lays eggs in a nest she had built. Each egg then hatches into a baby bird that looks nothing like her. But she cares for the birds and understands that they are her own children. The full-color illustrations are watercolor renditions of forest scenes. 2002, Mondo Publishing, $15.95. Ages 3 to 9. Reviewer:Danielle Williams