Llama Llama Misses Mama

The Llama, Llama books follow a very set format - something happens, the llama gets more and more frustrated, the llama throws a tantrum, and the grown-ups help fix things. Except this time he doesn't have a tantrum (he's growing up, clearly), he just starts to cry.

The author is very good at

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presenting children's emotions. You can see him getting more and more upset as the day goes on, including the famous "Llama Llama HATES that book" line. Perfectly accurate - when have you ever heard a cranky child say they "don't like" something? No, they always go for the strongest word they know - hate. And so do we. We say "I hate getting up at the crack of dawn" and "I hate being stuck in traffic" and "I hate when the milk spoils two days after it's bought". To say "I don't like this" would sound stilted and artificial - and we're grown-ups! Children have even bigger emotions and less experience dealing with them. I've never yet met the four year old who didn't use that word at some point, usually to their parents' chagrin.

Besides, it's clear that he doesn't hate books and reading in general, or even *that* book - he's scared and confused and he's expressing it the only way he knows how - by being a major crankypants. Perfectly normal.

So why did I only give this book three stars? Two reasons:

First, I think the resolution is a bit pat. He cries, his teacher hugs him, and then he throws himself into playing. Seriously? Not very realistic, even if it *does* fit into the 32 pages of this book. While I like that his reaction to Mama coming home is "You came back!" rather than "I WANT TO STAY!", it's still a little too easy. Yes, even for children starting school the first time. If they're the sort who has a rougher time of it they might be upset when they realize that a few days into the week they still don't like leaving their mom.

Second, and this is why I never have *paid for* any of the Llama, Llama books, I find the text a little clunky. I always have, in all these books. I find that the author uses the names "Llama, Llama" and "Little Llama" too much (how often, seriously, do you use somebody's name in conversation with them? This is why pronouns are invented), I find the constant steady beat to be a little trying, with some lines using odd phrasing or odd stress in order to fit (and the same goes for the rhymes in the book), and I find a lot of the story... well, sappy and twee. The closing line of this book is "Llama Llama loves his Mama... And he loves school too!!!!" and although it's a good sentiment, and probably an honest one, it's all I can do to not read it in the most syrupy voice this side of Mrs. Butterworth. I'm glad he loves everything now that he's in a good mood, but the way it's written - blech.

Of course, you know, that's just me. My nieces like the Llama, Llama books, so once in a while I check them out from the library for them and I haven't turned around and sent this one into their school as a "donation" yet.

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Little Llama goes off to preschool and finds the whole thing a bit scary, and gets surlier and surlier until he has a little fit. Then his teacher hugs him and he cheers up, then suddenly it's time to go home!
I like to read this at the beginning of a preschool session to show that it's okay to

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feel sad and a little overwhelmed, and that it's also okay to have fun and still miss Mom. It's not the most creative book, but it serves a good purpose, and it has a good cadence and cute pictures.

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This is my favorite llama llama book. Little llama attends his first day of school and is saddened when his mama leaves. After some convencing, he learns that school can be fun. While he misses his mama, llama llama learns that she will be back for him. He loves his mama and school too.

A wonderful story that will serve both mother and child well to read it together often before the little Llama Llama of the family goes off to daycare, preschool, and/or kindergarten.

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney is a tale about little Llama’s first day of school. The story is about how little Llama is a bit afriad and misses Mama Llama; a realisitic side of starting kindergarten that is often glossed over. I love how the book says it is ok to be upset and school is

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new and different. It also shows little Llama having fun and proudly showing off his school to his mama.

Other books in the Llama series are fun too: Llama Llama Mad at Mama-- little Llama doesn’t want to shop any more. Llama Llama Red Pajama—a hilarious going to bed book. Llama Llama Holiday Drama was a hit in our house during the holidays, it is also nice that it doesn't focus on Christmas and includes drawings of dreidels and holiday breads indicitative of other cultures and religions.

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Summery:
This story talks about how a little llama goes to school for the first time and tries to find new friends and have fun, but soon learns that he misses his mama. Once llama begins to play at school he makes it through the day, but when he see's mama return he is a happy llama. Llama

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realizes that even when mama goes away, she will return later that day. Llama then decides he loves school and mama too.

Personal Reaction:
This book reminds me of my first day of school and my son's. I love reading this book because of all the rhyming words the book has in it. I also love reading this book to a group of children the first few weeks of school because they begin to understand it's ok to miss mama.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. Reading this book to your classroom during the first week of school could open up conversation with the classroom on how they feel about school and missing home. This would let the kids understand they are not alone on how they feel and begin to understand that mama will come back.
2. This book could introduce new rhyming words to the class or if the teacher was talking about rhyming that week the kids could pick out many of the rhyming words from this book.

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Summary: This story tells the story of a little llama's first day of school. He is nervous and misses his mom. As the day goes on he realizes that school can be fun and that his mom will always come back for him.
Genre: Fantasy
Media: Watercolor
Age: Primary
Critique: This is a great example of a

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fantasy book because the llamas are very personified. There is also a variety of animals at the school who all take on human characteristics. One way to use this in class would be to read it to a group of students during the first week of school to tell them that it's okay to miss your mom but it's also okay to have fun!

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Book for kinder and preschoolers in order to make students feel better about being in school. It will teach students that they are not the only ones that may have those apprehensive feelings about being in school and in the end they may learn to like school. Another interesting thing about this

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book in that it has words that the author wants to emphasize are written in bold.

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Summary: Llama's first day of school has arrived. Mama drops Llama at school and right away Llama starts missing mama. At first it is difficult for Llama to stay focused on what is going on in the classroom because he misses his mama. His teacher explains that Mama will be back soon. Llama begins

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to like the activities done at school which makes the day go by faster and when he least expects it mama has arrived for him. Llama is happy to see mama and he has so many things to tell her. The first day of school went well after all and he felt so happy to see mama again at the end of the day.

Comments:
I liked how rhyming was used because it creates a pattern and it becomes easier for children to understand. I liked the theme of family and love and how many young children could relate to Llama by remembering their first day of school. The illustrations are very detailed and colorful which will catch the interest of children more quickly.

Collections:
Genre- Family
Format- Print
Content use- Rhyming

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It’s Llama Llama’s first day of preschool. Although it's directed towards pre-preschoolers I believe that it could also be used as a book to read to students starting kindergarten too. Little llama goes through the emotions of being left at school for the first time. It's a great introduction

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to empathy and emotions.

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This is a great story about Llama Llama's first day of school and how much he misses his mama. As a teacher, this is a common problem for first time Kinder or Pre- K students. I will definitely be using this as a read aloud for the first week of class.

A book about Llama's first day of preschool and being sad that Mama isn't there with him. After a talk with his teacher though that Mama will be back and that school is fun, Llama begins to make friends with his classmates and having fun. Even when Mama shows up, Llama tells her that even though he

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loves her dearly, he loves school too and shows her all the things they did that day in class. This is a cute story to have with youngsters that are starting school for the first time or on the first day of school. This book is also good because it is part of a set of books with predictable texts. Young readers might enjoy reading this book on their own as the text is fairly simple and the illustrations add some detail to the story. I wouldn't have this this in grades beyond kindergarten, because the characters are very young.

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Summary: The book is about llama going off to school for the first time. At first he does not enjoy school; he is just missing his mama. He soon starts settling in with all the others and is having fun, but seeing his mom at the end of the school day, makes his day better. He is now excited to show

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mom his school, since he now knows mom will be there to get him when school is over.
Personal Reaction: I like this book, because it relates to a lot of little children who come to school for the first time, and also the first time away from home and parents. It gives children reassurance that school can be fun and it is ok to miss mama, and that she will be back when school is over for the day.
Classroom Extension Ideas: Use this book the first couple weeks of a child's first school year at home and at school. Let them be involved in conversation about the book and tell their feelings. Learn rhyming words.

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Little llama has to go to school and its his first day... But little llama, at first, misses her mama so she doesn't have much fun but as the day goes she starts to have fun and do all the activities with all the other kids. Finally, at the end mom comes home and llama is happy. He now knows that

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at the end of the day mama will always come back for him.
Llama llama books are some of my favorite children's books!

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Teaches children that it is ok to be nervous about going to school but you make new friends when you go to school and that your parents will be there when you are done with school.

This book is very good to talk about feelings. The younger students will like this book because they can relate to Llama's feelings.

The rhyme scheme in these books is always fun.

Llama llama misses mama is a wonderful book that is relatable. It is relatable because it helps children to realize that it is okay for them to miss their parents while they are in school but at the end of the day their parents will always come back for them. This is an excellent book because

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although it incorporates fictional components it has a realistic message that is very realistic. For example, the characters in the book are animals that are taking on human like qualities and this is fictional but, this can make the children like and connect with the characters. This is a great book to have in a classroom with little children because they may not understand the concept of going to school and then going home and it helps to convey the idea that parents will come back for them at the end of the day. In the book, Llama's day was off to a bad start but eventually, he warmed up and was able to play and enjoy his self. This lets children know that although their day might start off badly that it can eventually turn into a good day. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I would really recommend teachers to keep a copy of this book only their shelf especially in younger classes.

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In my opinion, Llama Llama Misses Mama, is a great story for young audiences, however I enjoy reading the story aloud probably as much as children enjoy listening to it. The story focuses on a young, anxious llama on his first day of school apart from his Mama for the first time. Llama Llama is a

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relatable character to many young children who are just beginning school and may be uneasy about being away from their Mama too. It talks about strange new things and people llama encounters and how llama feels new and lonely. Change is scary and many children face this same conflict when they are introduced to new places, new people and/or new things. The llama is told “Don’t be sad, new little llama. It’s okay to miss your mama. But don’t forget when day is through, she will come right back to you.” When the teacher says this llama feels better and gives school a try, he makes some new friends and plays with new toys and ends up finding out something new: “He loves mama and school too!”
I like that the author chose to write in a melodic rhyming pattern throughout the story making it flow nicely and very engaging for young listeners. This book is ideal for reading aloud because of how well the sentences are structured to make the pace smooth and even. The vocabulary chosen for this story is playful and recognizable to young children making it easy for them to recognize, understand and soon begin imitating and reading along with you. My only complaint for this book is the wording on one of the pages. It says “would the llama like to look? Llama Llama hates that book.” Hate is a strong word for children of young ages to have in their developing vocabulary and I feel there is a better way to voice llama’s opinion instead of that word. Usually when I read this book to children I substitute the word “hate” for “doesn’t like.” Other than the strong language on that one page in the story, I really enjoy this book and I think it is very comforting and relatable to those children who struggle with being away from their parent(s)/guardians on a daily basis.

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Summary
Llama Llama gets ready and Mama takes him to his first day of school. Llama llama is sad and doesn't want to play, read or eat with his friends and teacher. His teacher reminds him that Mama will come back at the end of the day. After his talk with the teacher Llama Llama plays and draws

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with his friends. Mama picks him up and he is super excited and decides that he loves Mama and school.

Personal reaction
I think these book are super cute and the children really enjoyed them. I feel like I could use this book with children who are new to the classroom or are going to a new classroom.

Extension
I could use this book during helping others week.
I would have parents and children make a picture collage of their family so we could hang it on the walls. (They could have a piece of home at school.) I could have children make a picture of their family and ask them what they miss this most when they are at school.

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This book is about a llama who has his first day of school. He does not like it and feels sad that his mama left him but later settles in knowing his mom will come back for him. This is a good fantasy because llamas don't go to school or speak. Would use for primary.

Llama llama goes to school and is sad that his Llama mama has to go. he doesnt want anything to do with what all the other kids are doing in his class, he s still upset at lunch time about his mama having to go. Llama llama starts to play and have a good time with his friends, he is haveing a good

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time enjoying himself and then sees that his mama comes back for him. Llama llama love his mama and school too in the end of the book.

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FANTASY: (primary ages)
This is a good fantasy book because it poses a conflict that young kids face all the time and solves it. Part of its affectiveness lies in the fact that it utilizes baby animals who talk to portray the story. It is also accompanied by wonderful illustrations that allow

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students to visualize exactly what is happening and be more engaged in the story, putting themselves in Llamas situation.

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Hurry, hurry! It’s time to get up, get dressed, and get going. Today is Llama Llama’s first day of school! It’s an exciting time for Llama Llama to meet the teacher and make new friends. But why is Mama Llama leaving?

Charming, colorful illustrations accompany the rhyming text that speaks to

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everything new and different . . . and scary . . . about a child’s first day of school. It’s a perfect book for parents to share, again and again, with their just-about-to-go-to-school children.

Recommended.

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