Reviewd by Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA)
Mama’s Purse is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. The Mom’s Choice Awards honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of PBS’s Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times best-selling Author and; LeAnn Thieman, motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books. Parents and educators look for the Mom’s Choice Awards seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families.
Idaho Stateman
Reviewd by Janice Hildreth
A.J. Irving, a Boise mother of two preschoolers, has released a picture book titled “Mama’s Purse.” The title alone conjures memories our own childhoods and the delights we were sure were hidden in mama’s purse. A.J. touches a familiar chord in every child.
The book is sure to delight your preschooler. The rhymes are creative and fun, and the pictures are fantastic. There is a lot of energy in the book. The brightly colored visuals zooming up, down and across the pages will delight the child with whom you are sharing the book.
As with all good picture books, the illustrations are a huge part of the appeal. Rick Thomson’s talented pictures make the text come to life. A.J. also stirs children’s imaginations by suggesting that if they take a peek in their mama’s purse — but be sure to ask permission first! — they might also find surprises.
This is a creative book you’ll read aloud time and time again — until your toddler memorizes it and begins to read it back to you.
“Smiles from all the big and little ones who read it! Fabulous pictures to go along with the fun story!”
-Sammy Rickelman
“Mama’s Purse is a sweet, colorful book full of fun surprises that will capture the heart of any child. I would highly recommend it as a gift for any child.”
-Laurie Boggs
“Mama’s Purse is such a fun book! My grandson really enjoyed the rhymes and playful illustrations, especially the pod of dolphins swimming free and the goat with the orange goatee. Mama’s Purse is a great book to teach kids new words and practice rhyming.”
-Robert Lee
“Mama’s Purse is a great way to spend reading time with your child. The story inspires the use of the imagination, and invites improvisation of one’s own ideas of what might be in Mama’s Purse. The artwork is done smartly with a combined use of hand drawn images and graphic techniques in coloring. The tone of the imagery is polite and generous in nature. Have some fun reading this book over and over with you little ones, you’ll have a fun adventure.”
-Vickie Sumner
“AJ Irving’s book, “Mama’s Purse,” a story about a young girl’s fantasy as to the contents of her mother’s purse, is a delightful challenge to the young reader’s imagination. The colorful illustrations bring the story to life. A number of the surprises in the purse may be unfamiliar to the younger generation, and should result in broadening the reader’s vocabulary. A book that should grace every child’s library for sure.”
-James Castberg
Paint with Words 