Because I'm Your Mom

by Ahmet Zappa, Dan Santat (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrate the special bond between fun-loving moms and their lucky kids in this tribute from the bestselling creators behind Because I'm Your Dad, Ahmet Zappa and Dan Santat.

What’s the best kind of mom? The kind of mom who lets you have nachos for breakfast, goes skateboarding with you at the beach, and does the dinosaur dance with you under the full moon. But best of all, she kisses away your owies, wishes upon a shooting star for you, and loves you always...for exactly who you are.

Ahmet Zappa, son of legendary rock star Frank Zappa, was inspired by his own wife and son to write this ode to moms everywhere and the unique bonds they have with their kids—perfect for Mother's Day and all year round. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316338219
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/28/2023
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,012,552
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ahmet Zappa is a New York Times bestselling author, musician, film producer, screenwriter, and radio talk show host. His first picture book, Because I’m Your Dad, is both a tribute to his happy childhood as the son of Gail and legendary rock star Frank Zappa, and a promise of love to his daughter, Halo. Zappa’s second book in this series, Because I’m Your Mom, is inspired by his wife, Shana, and their son, Arrow. Zappa grew up with a learning disability and now writes books to help children discover how wonderful reading can be. He lives in Los Angeles and loves pancakes, heavy metal, and all five of his smushy-faced dogs.

Dan Santat is the Caldecott Medal–winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, Are We There Yet?, and After the Fall, as well as the graphic novels Sidekicks and The Aquanaut. He is the illustrator of many other picture books, including Because I'm Your Mom by Ahmet Zappa, Drawn Together and Lift by Minh Lê, The Alphabet’s Alphabet by Chris Harris, No More Poems! by Rhett Miller, and the Crankenstein series by Samantha Berger. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and various pets. He invites you to visit him at dansantatbooks.com, or on Twitter and Instagram at @dsantat.
 

Editorial Reviews

05/08/2023

This picture book from the creators of Because I’m Your Dad follows up that volume’s mischievous escapades with this portrait of a monster-styled mother who’s equally game for good times. “Because I’m your mom, you can have nachos for breakfast, pancakes for dinner, and Popsicles in the shower,” begins Zappa’s fun-centric litany of activities. Other high-flying hijinks involve interactions with “cosmic-powered, smushy-faced puppicorns,” skipping the child’s piano lesson to skateboard at the beach, and jetting off to Switzerland and Egypt. In Santat’s signature illustration style, chartreuse, magenta-haired Mom and her turquoise offspring dance, hug, and grin across the pages, alongside humans portrayed with various skin tones. And as the book winds down, Mom also promises to kiss owies, read books, and make wishes. Altogether, it’s a lively accounting of a parent’s promises that subverts typical sentiments around the titular phrase. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Because I'm Your Dad:
 

"A rowdy catalogue of Dad moments gets enacted by a creature who resembles a green '60s-era Nauga monster and his purple (gender-neutral) offspring, in this picture book from the son of the late Frank Zappa (and a father himself)....Throughout, Zappa and Santat maintain an entertaining balance between sweet and goofy, protective and raucous." —Publishers Weekly

"Zappa presents a daddy monster who tickles, plays games, plans fun-filled excursions, and offers spaghetti for breakfast and ice cream in the tub....Young children will probably giggle and warm up to the monster dad, who appears more silly than scary in Santat's exuberant illustrations." —School Library Journal

"Unbashed sentimentality dominates the text in this loving promise from a father to his children....Zappa wrote this story for his daughter, and it overflows with genuine fatherly affection that he would like to pass on, since his father (avant-garde rocker Frank Zappa) did the same for him." —Kirkus Reviews

"The story's playful elements will amuse, entertain, and reassure, all while highlighting how special one-on-one time with a parent can be."—Booklist

"For Zappa fans, a book to rejoice in."—Kirkus Reviews

"Pure fun for readers with a lovable message that will appeal to all. A lovely addition to the library."—School Library Journal

"A lively accounting of a parent’s promises that subverts typical sentiments around the titular phrase."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

04/21/2023

PreS-Gr 3—From the team that wrote Because I'm Your Dad, equal treatment is granted to Mom. The mothers in this book let their children pick out their own mismatched clothes, eat nachos for breakfast, and play with cosmic-powered smushy-faced puppycorns. They dig for treasure in the backyard with their children and skateboard with them on the beach while skipping piano lessons. "Because I'm your mom, we'll make wishes on shooting stars and always remember to say what we are grateful for at bedtime." Zappa's sentimental text is illuminated by the goofiness of Santat's bold, arresting monsters, which adds lots of fun without the mushiness. Each page shares a message of love juxtaposed with the playfulness of a two-pronged monster mom and her equally monstrous, but charming, youngster. Readers won't be frightened by these two as they colorfully parade among humans in their super stylish sunglasses or take selfies in front of the pyramids in Egypt. Be sure to look for Santat's nod to fellow artists and his witty details that bring an added layer to savvy readers. VERDICT Pure fun for readers with a lovable message that will appeal to all. A lovely addition to the library.—C.J Connor

School Library Journal

2023-01-12
A decade after Because I’m Your Dad (2013) came out, musician Zappa and illustrator Santat reunite to bring the same story to life from a slightly different perspective.

Grandiose promises mix with those of a more standard variety as a mama monster makes a series of vows to her child. An innocuous “Because I’m your mom…you’re gonna get kissed all over your tummy every day” appears not long before, “Because I’m your mom, you can have nachos for breakfast, pancakes for dinner, and Popsicles in the shower.” As the book progresses, the mama continues to couple loving low-key activities alongside others involving plane rides, rock concerts, and “selfies with the Sphinx.” Why would the mama monster do such things? “Because that’s what my mom did for me.” The affection rings true, but actual mamas may balk at a couple of the more extravagant vows, worrying about their own child’s expectations. Santat aids where he can, giving the whole venture a peppy vibe replete with bright greens, purples, and blues. Alas, horned monsters and puppicorns can take you only so far when the unmemorable text fails to invite rereads. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

For Zappa fans, a book to rejoice in. For everyone else, a story you’ve seen before, in one iteration or another. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews