Are You My Mother?

For the Kathryn Calder album, see Are You My Mother? (album). For the graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel, see Are You My Mother? (memoir).

Are You My Mother?

Author	P. D. Eastman
Illustrator	P. D. Eastman
Country	United States
Language	English
Publisher	Random House
Publication date	June 12, 1960 (renewed 1988)

Are You My Mother? is a children's book by P. D. Eastman published by Random House Books for Young Readers on June 12, 1960 as part of its Beginner Books series. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.

Plot summary

"Are You My Mother?" is the story about a hatchling bird. His mother, thinking her egg will stay in her nest where she left it, leaves her egg alone and flies off to find food. The baby bird hatches. He does not understand where his mother is so he goes to look for her. As he cannot fly, he walks, and in his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother. They each say "No.".

Refusing to give up, he sees an old car, which he realizes certainly cannot be his mother. In desperation, the hatchling calls out to a boat and a plane (neither responds), and at last, climbs onto the teeth of an enormous power shovel. It belches "SNORT" from its exhaust stack, prompting the bird to cry, "You are not my mother! You are a Snort!" As the machine shudders and grinds into motion, he cannot escape. "I want my mother!" he shouts.

At that moment, the Snort drops the hatchling into his nest, and his mother returns. The two are united, much to their delight, and the baby bird recounts to his mother the adventures he had looking for her.

Adaptations

On August 13, 1991, Are You My Mother? was part of the Beginner Book Video series, directed and produced by Ray Messecar. The cast included Ardys Flavelle, Merwin Goldsmith, Marian Hailey, Ron Marshall, Brendon Parry and Jim Thurman.

ArtsPower National Touring Theatre created an hour-long musical performance based on the book geared for children grades K-2, with music by Richard DeRosa.

Critical reaction

The book's subjective appeal is derived from a compelling and compact plot full of humorous adventure, aided by line drawings that appeal to young children.

See also

• Imprinting (psychology)