Are You My Mother, a simple, well-loved classic, opens with a mother bird sitting on her egg. When the egg begins to move, she leaves to find some food for her anticipated baby. In her absence, the egg hatches, and the hatchling sets out in search of his mother. He asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother, and each says "no." He sees a car, a boat, and an air-plane, is disappointed that none of them are his mother either. Finally, he finds a construction digger, which he calls a Snort. The digger lifts him high in the air, frightening him terribly, then drops him back into his nest where he meets his mother returning home.

This is a great read-aloud for preschoolers, who will identify with the baby bird's fear at being separated from his parents. Its pacing is wonderfully predictable, with not-very-scary tension building to an exciting climax with the "Snort," and transitioning quickly to a deeply reassuring ending as the baby bird snuggles into the nest with his mother.

ISBN: 9780007224791