BOOK REVIEWS ~ Series of "Llama" Books ~ By: Anna Dewdney

Adventures at School

Another series of books Isobel has been enjoying are the "Llama Llama" titles by Anna Dewdney.  We started with "Llama Llama Misses Mama," which is about little Llama going to school for the first time and getting uptight when his Mother leaves him there and goes home.  He is so delighted when she returns and everything is all right in his world, once more.  Little Llama and his Mother go home and he is happy to return to school again the following day as he knows, even though he misses her, his Mother WILL come back for him.

A shopping caper

The next "Llama Llama" book we read was "Llama Llama Mad at Mama" which is about a shopping trip the little fellow takes with his Mother.  It is taking too long at "Shop-a-Rama" and so little Llama has a temper fit, throwing things out of the cart.  Mother soon sets her young charge straight and they clean up the mess together.  Then they shop "as a team" which made things much more fun.

We have also borrowed "Llama Llama Red Pajama" and "Llama Llama Holiday Drama." In the "Red Pajama" book, Little Llama is tucked in for the night and his Mother leaves the bedroom.  He calls for her but she doesn't come (she's busy on the telephone) and he thinks she has abandoned him.  Eventually Mama returns.

Bedtime Trauma

Baby Llama,

what a tizzy!

Sometimes Mama's

very busy.

Please stop all this

llama drama

and be patient

for your mama.

Little Llama,

don't you know,

Mama Llama

loves you so?

Mama Llama's'

always near,

Even if she's

not right here.

In "Llama Llama Holiday Drama," little Llama gets tired of waiting for Christmas. 

Too many prepartions for Christmas...

All this waiting for one day?

Time for presents RIGHT AWAY!

Too much music, too much fluff!

Too much making, too much stuff!

Too much everything for Llama . . .

Llama Llama, HOLIDARAMA!

But then his patient Mama says:

"Come and listen, little Llama.

Have a cuddle with your mama.

Sometimes we should take a rest

and hold the ones we love the best.

Wishing, waiting, wanting things . . . 

we forget what this time brings.

Gifts are nice,

but there's another --

the true gift is

we have each other. 

Another title, by Anna Dewdney, that just arrived in the inter-library loan shipment this past Tuesday is "Grumpy Gloria."   Gloria is a bulldog who gets miffed when the little girl who owns her gets a new doll to play with.  The dog feels left out and the other children try to make the dog happy again by trying all sorts of things.  Nothing works until the little girl puts Gloria, and the "new" doll in her baby carriage together.

Bulldogs have feelings too!

All of Dewdney's books a written in a delightful rhyming style.  She has an official website with several Llama Llama games and activities.  Isobel enjoyed clicking on the "Where is Llama Llama?" game.  There are several different scenarios and "Little Llama" hides in different places, so children can enjoy playing it more than once.  There are also printables on the website, which make reading the books to your own "Little Llama" even more enjoyable!