Llama Llama Misses Mama

Llama Llama

by Anna Dewdney

Strange new teacher.
Strange new toys.
Lots of kids and lots of noise!

What would Llama like to do?
Llama Llama feels so new . . .

It’s Llama Llama’s first day of preschool! And Llama Llama’s mama makes sure he’s ready. They meet the teachers. See the other children. Look at all the books and games. But then it’s time for Mama to leave. And suddenly Llama Llama isn’t so excited anymore. Will Mama Llama come back?

Of course she will. But before she does, the other children show Llama Llama how much fun school can be!

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Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, School, Animals, Family, Fiction, Emotion

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Anna Dewdney was an award-winning children's-book author, illustrator, teacher, mother, and enthusiastic proponent of literacy and reading aloud to children. She was the author of the bestselling Llama Llama Red Pajama series of picturebooks, among many others. She lived with her partner Reed Duncan in Vermont where she worked, gardened, and spent time with her daughters and dogs.

Reviews

[AleJandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preparando a mi hija para la escuela, ya que el martes entra al kínder.

Ella está emocionada, pero yo estoy que me muero de los nervios, por este gran cambio. :(

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Llama, Llama books follow a very set format - something happens, the llama gets more and more frustrated, the llama throws a tantrum, and the grown-ups help fix things. Except this time he doesn't have a tantrum (he's growing up, clearly), he just starts to cry.

The author is very good at presenting children's emotions. You can see him getting more and more upset as the day goes on, including the famous "Llama Llama HATES that book" line. Perfectly accurate - when have you ever heard a cranky child say they "don't like" something? No, they always go for the strongest word they know - hate. And so do we. We say "I hate getting up at the crack of dawn" and "I hate being stuck in traffic" and "I hate when the milk spoils two days after it's bought". To say "I don't like this" would sound stilted and artificial - and we're grown-ups! Children have even bigger emotions and less experience dealing with them. I've never yet met the four year old who didn't use that word at some point, usually to their parents' chagrin.

Besides, it's clear that he doesn't hate books and reading in general, or even *that* book - he's scared and confused and he's expressing it the only way he knows how - by being a major crankypants. Perfectly normal.

So why did I only give this book three stars? Two reasons:

First, I think the resolution is a bit pat. He cries, his teacher hugs him, and then he throws himself into playing. Seriously? Not very realistic, even if it *does* fit into the 32 pages of this book. While I like that his reaction to Mama coming home is "You came back!" rather than "I WANT TO STAY!", it's still a little too easy. Yes, even for children starting school the first time. If they're the sort who has a rougher time of it they might be upset when they realize that a few days into the week they still don't like leaving their mom.

Second, and this is why I never have *paid for* any of the Llama, Llama books, I find the text a little clunky. I always have, in all these books. I find that the author uses the names "Llama, Llama" and "Little Llama" too much (how often, seriously, do you use somebody's name in conversation with them? This is why pronouns are invented), I find the constant steady beat to be a little trying, with some lines using odd phrasing or odd stress in order to fit (and the same goes for the rhymes in the book), and I find a lot of the story... well, sappy and twee. The closing line of this book is "Llama Llama loves his Mama... And he loves school too!!!!" and although it's a good sentiment, and probably an honest one, it's all I can do to not read it in the most syrupy voice this side of Mrs. Butterworth. I'm glad he loves everything now that he's in a good mood, but the way it's written - blech.

Of course, you know, that's just me. My nieces like the Llama, Llama books, so once in a while I check them out from the library for them and I haven't turned around and sent this one into their school as a "donation" yet.

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My cousin, Luna Rose, loves the *Llama Llama* books, and tried to get me to read them a few years ago on We Give Books. Unfortunately, said site went down before I got around to it. But, I see Overdrive has some of them, so I might try a few.

This was a cute story. I enjoyed it.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text-to Self Connection

When Llama Llama starts preschool he is excited about meeting new friends and his teacher, but when Mama Llama leaves he begins to worry that she will not come back. This book consists of colorful and calming illustrations that mimic the feelings and experiences of Llama Llama. I like this book because it reminds me of how nervous I was during my first day of kindergarten. It also reminds me to be mindful of how some of my new students are feeling during the beginning of the school year. I enjoy reading this book to my students to help them feel more comfortable in their new environment. Llama llama models that although new experiences can be scary, they can also be fun.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is helping me and my three year old discuss preschool and how it's tough when your parent leaves you at school, but she/he will always come back for you.

[Alexandra Ibberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a baby/toddler book. It's an adorable story about a young llama's first day of school. He is nervous and worried about missing his mama. When he first gets to school, he cries for his mama. Then his school mates come up to him and tell him he will be okay and to come play with them. He starts playing with them and has a great time. He learns that he loves his mama but school too!!!
Young children experiencing their first time away from mom will relate to this story. The illustrations are cute and heart warming. I like how the illustrations show a wide variety of animals and help children appreciate differences.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going to school and missing mama! My daughter loves this Llama, and it’s something we will read to her again and again as we start to think about her early years education. Thanks author for writing this piece!

[Haaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llama llama books are cute. I enjoy the illustrations and the flow of the rhyming story.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well constructed school separation story.

[Aliyah (Barbellsnbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book to read to children who may have some separation anxiety from their families, when they come to school.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An all time favorite here. Owen always skips to the part where MAMA LLAMA YOU CAME BACK and he smiles so big. 🥺

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book about the sad feelings that can occur at pre/school.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Llama Llama's first day of prechool. He's unhappy when Mama Llama leaves. The teacher and other students work to cheer him up.

[Yiyu Guo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rhyming is perfect and fun for beginning readers. My 7-year old daughter loves to read it again and again. She said this story is just like poetry. She had fun finding the rhyming words on each page. It is a great bed time story to remind those “baby llamas” that mama is always there!

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally loved this book and the message it gives! It discusses the anxiety of a new place, new toys, new friends but reminds Llama that "Mama always comes back." Although it's directed towards pre-preschoolers I believe that it could also be used as a book to read to your child before he or she starts kindergarten too. The shy, but brave Llama goes off to school, along with all different types of animals dressed in their new school clothes. At first Llama is unhappy about having to leave his mama, but soon he is encouraged by the other animals to join in the fun activities at school, playing with the other animals. At the end he realizes that he loves mama, but he loves school too. I personally would possibly consider having this book in my classroom and could have some lessons or discussions about our feelings and how everyone experiences events in their own way. We can talk about being sympathetic to other peoples' concerns. The rhyming is fun and lyrical making me realize that there are alot more words that rhyme with llama then what I thought. . The illustrations are beautiful,colorful and delicate with the sweeping motion of the paintbrush. The facial expressions on all of the characters are worthy of notice. The artwork expresses little Llama Llama's distress perfectly, especially when that lone tear begins to fall at lunch time.This is a good book for young children. Recommend this book to parents of little ones to ease the worries and remind children that at the end of the day their mom, dad, guardian etc. will always love them and come back for them. School is fun don't be worried! Have fun and learn lots!

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that is paced well and written to read out loud.

The story is about a little llama named in the title and his first day at preschool. The story is remarkably accurate to life starting with mama llama running late, llama llama getting nervous and sad at the beginning of the day and gradually warming up to a zebra teacher. Mama llama returns at the end of the day and llama llama is thrilled.

The book is rhymed and has a fun rhythm that makes me smile when I read it to my little guy. The illustrations are consistently wonderful and captured my kiddo's attention during the story. Llama llama's facial expressions in the illustrations were adorable. I wish I had seen this book when I was getting him accustomed to preschool, as I think it would have helped.

After reading this book, I've picked up two more titles by Anna Dewdney. We'll see if they replicate her performance here.

[Zoe Lampman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney is part of a series of children's books about a mother llama and her son. In this installment the young llama attends preschool for the first time. After his mama drops him off at school he is distraught and does not want to play and learn with the other little animals. His teacher and classmates finally convince him that his mama will return at the end of the day and that there is a lot to like about school. He happily plays and learns with his classmates. Before long his mama has returned to pick him up and he realizes that he is going to like school after all.

This story would be perfect for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders that can relate to missing their parents while they are in school. The words are also fun for children to say. Students will be able to practice rhyming "llama" and "mama" and there are several occasions where they will be able to predict what will happen next. The illustrations are fun as well.

[Chantia Singleton]

Is your toddler/preschooler having a difficult time adjusting to their first day/week or school? This would be the perfect book to convey to them, that those feelings are perfectly acceptable but everything will be fine! When the parent comes to pick the child up or when it is almost time, you could mention the book and say, "wow, remember when Llama was sad but his mama came back? She always comes back." You could revisit this book everyday, as often as needed to assist the children in adjusting.
Implementing a feelings chart could also be beneficial. Llama goes through different emotions throughout the short picture book. The children could use the chart to correlate it with Llama's emotions. We could discuss different ways we could make Llama feel better.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another reassuring, catchy, rhyming book from Anna Dewdney. This one was perfect for Catherine, who is starting "school" in June. My only complaint is Llama Llama's unchecked bad attitude (just as in Llama Llama Mad at Mama); in the midst of his sad fit, he complains that he "HATES that book," with no response from anyone.

[Kiah Ballard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes the first day of school for so many young children. This book was enjoyable to read and I would definitely use this book during the first few days of school and for any new students that may come in my class. I would ask the children what are some of the things that llama could do to help him feel better until it's time for him to go home. I would then write down their answers on a big piece of chart paper with pictures of the solutions on it so that we could refer back to it whenever the children are missing their families.

[Juli19 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. It is the story of a llama in his first day of school, he is very sad because he is missing his mother but as the day goes by and he spends time with his teacher and classmates he realizes that school is fun. It is a great story to read to young children to ease their separation anxiety in their first day of school. I think children will like the pictures and they will very interested in reading the story.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolute favorite at bedtime. My four year old loves this book.

This story is simple and the story takes you through a little llama's first day at school without his mama. He's sad but eventually comes around and plays with the other kids.

The artwork is stunning.

All in all, it's a wonderful and sweet book.

[Anselm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just read it twice, after having read it twice yesterday. I like the zebra teacher and the pink vw bug the llama mama drives. the rhymes fall a little too quickly sometimes, and the emotional beat of the story is a little rushed, but all in all it's fairly sweet.

[Nancy Julmice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to read that explains the experience of the first week of school for kids who are going to school for the first time. It also assures kids that their parents always will come back to pick them up, and that school is a fun place to be.

[Kit · Rating 3 out of 5]

T loves the book. Of course it misrepresents school and invalidates children's feelings, but she wants to hear it over and over again.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would read this book to any ages 3-8 because students range from different emotional stages in their lives. I would use this book for students who have trouble separating from their parents.

[Shauna Ludlow Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for kids starting school who might miss their mama.

Beautiful illustrations and funny story.

[Megan Willome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Llama Llama Misses Mama Anna Dewdney

The academic year of 2020-2021 was unusual in every possible way. Depending on your locality and your child’s learning needs, adjustments may still be in effect. All I know is the little girl next door is going to kindergarten for the first time. Perhaps she feels a little like Llama Llama in Llama Llama Misses Mama.

“Llama Llama feeling shy…”

and

“Llama Llama feels so new…”

and

“Llama Llama feels alone.”

Author and illustrator Anna Dewdney, creator of the Llama Llama books, gives her child-readers and listeners an adorable llama surrogate who is always in his feelings. He also carries around his own stuffed llama, which conveys even more feelings through its expressions, especially its eyes. Without speaking, the stuffed animal is a stand-in for some other emotion Llama Llama is feeling. (It’s hard for a little llama face to show more than one feeling at a time.)

The stories are told in rhyme because Dewdney believed in the power of reading aloud. The Anna Dewdney Read Together Award is given every year to a picture book that not only is a great read-aloud selection but also one that promotes empathy and compassion. The winner is announced during Children’s Book Week.

Although Llama Llama’s first day at school gets off to a rough start, by the end he is playing with friends and drawing. But it isn’t just a matter of getting comfortable in this new place. A lesser teacher might have redirected the anxious student to the toy train or the bookshelf — which this teacher does — and leave it at that. But this teacher addresses the underlying issue: that Llama Llama misses Llama Mama.

"Don’t be sad, new little llama! It’s OK to miss your mama. But don’t forget—when day is through, she will come right back to you.”

Although this story is about Llama Llama missing his mama, she is actually with him quite a lot. In fact, in this 32-page picture book, Llama Mama is in 14 of the illustrations, sometimes twice. It’s a subtle way of saying that even when llamas are temporarily separated, they’re still together.

Dewdney passed away from cancer in 2016. Her books continue, with her longtime partner, Reed Duncan, as administrator of the Anna E. Dewdney Literary Trust, and with the illustrations of J.T. Morrow. You can hear her read her first llama book, Llama Llama Red Pajama. You can also listen to Ludacris rap the story.

At the same time I was reading Llama Llama Misses Mama, I was also reading Llama Llama Mad at Mama, when he and Mama go shopping on a Saturday, interrupting Llama Llama’s play-plans. One minute our little llamas are mad at us, and the next moment they miss us. One day they are filled with holiday drama and the next they give thanks.

One summer day, while riding my bike and listening to a spirited review of Llama Llama books, I saw a real-life llama. He (or she, I can’t say for sure) was standing under a tree, nibbling leaves. I got off my bike to doublecheck my own eyes, and there, off to the side, in the cool shade, just out of sight, was a Llama Mama.

[Ashlyn Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cute book. This book is about a Llama who misses her Mama Llama while he is off at school for the day. Llama Llama is nervous about leaving his Mama Llama. It is Llama Llama's first day of preschool and Mama Llama is making sure everything is ready for him. When they get to school they both meet his teachers and classmates. They look around the classroom and see all the games and books. Llama Llama starts to get really exited when he see all the things that there are to do in the classroom. When it came time for Mama Llama to leave Llama Llama became really sad. He starts to wonder if Mama Llama will ever come back for him. His classmates cheer him up by showing him how fun school can be. Before he realized it Mama Llama was back to pick him up. He realized that he had nothing to worry about that his Mama Llama would never leave him. I would use this book in the hospital because a lot of children experience separation anxiety. Kids get left at the hospital while their parents are at work and they fear that they will never come back. This book can help them by relating to a character that knows just how they feel. A good activity to do with this book would be some kind of finding and hiding games to get their minds off of when mommy or daddy will come back.

[Katelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Llama Llama misses Mama” is about Llama Llama going to his very first day of preschool. Mama Llama makes sure that Llama Llama is ready in the morning by going through morning routines such as making the bed, brushing teeth, and eat some breakfast. Mama Llama brings Llama Llama to school but when it’s time for Mama Llama to leave, Llama Llama it’s excited for school anymore. He becomes nervous and worried about missing his Mama and cries for Mama Llama. His classmates come and comfort him saying that it will be ok and to come and play with them. By the end of the day, Mama Llama comes back for Llama Llama and learns that he loves both his Mama and school.
The main theme in this picture book is about growing up, trust and prepares children for growth. Trying to make new friends can be hard and feeling comfortable in a new classroom can be challenging. I give this book five stars because I really enjoyed how the author uses rhyming to engage the reader and how the other characters in the book are different animals. I recommend this book for young readers because they can connect with the main character when they experienced that separation anxiety.