Mama Loves Me from Away - Hardcover

Pat Brisson is a winner of a Christopher Award for The Summer My Father Was Ten and has written a number of books for children. She lives in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

Grade 1-3 - The relationship between a mother and daughter is pushed to its limits when Mama is incarcerated. Sugar clings to the memory of her mother's stories and lives for her weekly visits to the prison when her grandmother is feeling up to the bus ride. On their shared birthday, Mama gives Sugar a special gift and a special way to feel close to her. Although this may be an issue that needs to be addressed, and although there is an audience for whom this story may be appropriate, the text and artwork present some problems. While the book does not go so far as to glorify imprisonment, it certainly does not present a realistic view of an extremely difficult way of life and the challenges it presents in maintaining a relationship with a child. In an attempt to emphasize the enduring bond between mother and daughter, the writing is often clichéd and the illustrations seem to exhibit an unnatural, idealistic brightness. The word "prison" is never mentioned, and the character of Big Roger is never clearly identified, possibly leaving young readers with more questions than answers about a very sensitive issue. - Holly T. Sneeringer, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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