There is a book from my childhood that I think about often. I would be forever grateful if you could help unite me with it. I don’t have a title for you, but here is what I know:
1) It is a picture book for children.
2) I read the book as a child in the early 80s.
3) Plot: It is a book about a child (might be an animal child, not sure) that wants to make a picture of his mother. He starts out making the picture on his own and feels he needs advice, so he takes it to different animal characters to see what they think. Each animal looks at the picture and makes a suggestion to change it somehow to reflect a feature of that animal (for example: the elephant suggests that the nose be lengthened). By the end of the book the picture has a variety of different features that look nothing like the mom.
Sadly, I cannot remember much else. I have tried to imagine the title and the best I could guess at is “A Picture of Mother” or something of the sort. But I could be way off.
This books stands out to me now as a message about trusting your own judgement in creating art (or writing) and not allowing yourself to be so easily influenced by the opinions of others. Let your work be your own. I’m not sure if that was the message it had intended to give, but it comes to mind now as I pursue my own writing career. I’d love to have this message bearer as a tangible reminder of this lesson.
Please help me, for you may be my only hope. Thank you for your time and effort.
Bread and Honey, by Frank Asch.
This is Monkey Face by Frank Asch
You found it! thank you so much!!!!
I think the book you are looking for is Monkey Face by Frank Asch, circa 1977.
Yes! This is it! Thank you so much!!
It sounds similar in theme to The Little Prince. (The author is French, an aviator I believe) but I’m not going to attempt spelling his name:). Maybe check the author’s other works?
Monkey Face if it’s a monkey, Bread and Honey if it’s a bear.
Yes! This is it! Thank you so much!!! Wow!