Oskar sets out—with a single coin—to find the perfect gift for his mother. And he spots it at once: a beautiful yellow rose. But when he meets an artist, Oskar trades the rose for a paintbrush. And when he meets a conductor, he trades the paintbrush for a sheet of music. . . .
The bustling streets are full of interesting people and delightful possible presents, and Oskar trades one gift for another, and another, and another! But what he finds by the end of the day is even more precious.
Simple kindness is at the heart of this enchanting, gloriously-illustrated tale.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
The perfect gift for a mother is a gift from the heart
By Z Hayes
This richly-illustrated picture book, written by Linda Ravin Lodding, and featuring the beautiful, crackle-glazed artwork of Alison Jay is a joy to read and behold. The story is perfect for celebrating mothers: a young boy named Oskar wanders around the streets of old Vienna looking for the perfect birthday gift for his beloved Mama. Oskar only has one coin and he finds the most beautiful single rose in full bloom. He is happy, thinking his mother will definitely love his gift, until he encounters a painter who cajoles Oskar into trading his lovely rose for a beautiful horsehair paintbrush. Oskar is at first reluctant but relents when he thinks he can use the brush to paint his mother a beautiful painting.Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned. Oskar keeps meeting people who persuade him to trade his object with another, until finally he has nothing left. What is the poor boy to do? The moral of this sweetly told tale is of course that the best gifts in the world are gifts from the heart. This would make a wonderful story to share on Mother's Day, birthdays, and just about any day!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.A Gift for Mama is a great gift for mama, and dada
By Tom Harkish
A lovely book for kids, and their parents. Fantastic illustrations and a story that kept my sons asking for it to be read again and again. As a bonus, if you have spent any time in Vienna, this book brings back the sights and memories of a place that has changed remarkably little over the decades.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful."A Gift for Mama" is a gift for almost everyone
By Skye65
A wonderful book, which totally engrossed my four-year-old grandson, his mother, and me as well! Probably not as well understood for most children under the age of four and some of the language which my daughter and I found to be so euphonious had to be explained to my four-year old grandson. But, the pictures are lovely, the text is touching, and the message makes a listener of any age smile. I highly recommend this book to everyone. If your child is under four....buy the book and save it for later. This one's a complete keeper.
