MOTHER’S LOVE
Aline Casassa
LEON HAS A CHALLENGE: HE NEEDS TO WRITE TWO MOTHER´S DAY CARDS. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO HIM? TURN THE PAGES AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LEON…
ON MOTHER’S DAY, LEON HAS MORE WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM THAN OTHER CHILDREN: HE HAS TO WRITE TWO MOTHER’S DAY CARDS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE, LIKE THE OTHER BOYS AND GIRLS FROM HIS SCHOOL…
THIS IS BECAUSE LEON HAS TWO MOMS AND NOT JUST ONE, LIKE MOST KIDS. TWO MOMS AND NO DAD.
ABOUT THE BOOK
This book is based on a true story: the story of a woman who isn’t able to take care of their children (but dream of their children having a family) and the story of two women who can’t have children (and also dream of having a family).
Adopting a child is very important both for children and adults. Together, they make up a family! But this book also shows that families are always very special, each in their own way. Have you ever noticed that?
I know many different families. The family in this book consists of two women who adopted a son.
I know another family that has a mom and her daughter. The mom wanted to have a baby and decided to do that on her own, without getting married or having a boyfriend.
I have a friend who raises his grandson. Even though he’s his grandfather, he raises the child as if he were his dad.
I like this family a lot because you can joke around with them: there’s a dad-grandpa, a son-grandson, a mom-grandma, and a brother-dog!
It’s a lot of fun, right?
I also know two boys who have two dads and no mom. These boys’ parents live together, in the same house, and they love cats! They are married.
I also know families with divorced parents; families with an only child; families without children… Phew!
That’s the most amazing thing about families: no matter the family, they all have a great love story to tell!
What’s your family like? How about drawing what your family is like?
Maybe you can put up a poster with some photos of your family members. It will be fun!
Thank you for reading my book.
With love, Aloma
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS
Have you noticed how the illustrations in this book tell another story? Because each one is full of information that completes the main story. By "reading" these pictures you'll get to know a little more about Leon and his family. You'll discover how each character is physically and also their preferences: what they like to do together, their favorite games, what Leon's house is like, the animals that live with him…
To create the illustrations, the author talked to the illustrator and they planned together every that appears in the pictures. Afterward, the illustrator drew each page by hand, using hand, using pencilsbut without coloring yet. As if it were a draft. As the drawings were approved, they were scanned and given colors and textures made on the computer using special illustration programs. The result is in the book: images full of color and movement that fill the reader's eyes. Take a look at the illustrations again. Think about them. Are the people in your family also different from each other? Do they like the same things? What do you most enjoy doing together?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I´m Aloma. When I was a child, my family was me, my two brothers, and my mom. My dad died when I was very young, and my mom raised all of us by herself.
Now I have my own family: me, my husband (Alberto), my two children (Bibi and Fefe), and my 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 … Phew! Six dogs. Why do I think they are also part of my family? Because I love my little pack and I take care of each of them as if they were my own children (I just don’t send them to school because dogs belong in the backyard, playing!).
I studied to be a teacher. I’ve taught many children. Now I’m a writer and editor. I spend my days doing something awesome: writing children’s books!
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
I´m Aline. My family consists of my mother Sonia, my father Carlos, and my sister Renata. We are a very close family and we always laugh a lot when we're together, especially at mealtimes.
My parents always made sure that we sat down together at the table to talk and share experiences. I've learned that this is very important, so much so that in my new home my husband Gustavo and I also talk a lot and, as well as being in love, we are great friends!
My family keeps growing because when I married Gustavo, I gained another family: my motherin-law Marina and my two new brothers Daniel and Thiago! I love them all!
I'm a designer and illustrator and my greatest pleasure is making art for children, such as books, magazines, paintings…
