In Our Mothers' House

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Polacco, Patricia. 2009. IN OUR MOTHERS’ HOUSE. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399250767

PLOT SUMMARY
A grown woman reminisces about growing up with her family of two mothers, a brother and a sister. She remembers the love and laughter that filled her home.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

The three children in the family all come from different cultures: African America, Caucasian and Asian. One of her mother's, Meema is Italian and nothing is mentioned about Mermee's ethnicity. One example of Meema's Italian culture is the fact that the kitchen is such an important part of the home. They are shown cooking family meals together in the kitchen and the narrator remembers, "The kitchen in our mother's house was the center of everything that was happening in our household."

There are many cultures represented in the characters in the story. When they have a neighborhood block party the families bring foods that represent their culture. The Mardicians served "stuffed grape leaves and ground lamb," the Polos served "spanakopita and Greek salads," the Abdullas served "hummus and tabouli." Other families served sushi, fried clams and crawdads.

I feel that the hair styles and clothing choices are very stereotypical of lesbians. The women have their hair cut very short and wear clothes that make them look more masculine. The narrator even points out that it was a big deal for them to wear dresses to the tea party they hosted. She remembers, "We had never seen either of them in a dress...ever!"

There is a character is the book that shows us how intolerance affects others. Mrs. Lockner is very rude to the narrator’s family. She shuts the door on them when they come trick-or-treating, won’t let her children come over for a sleepover and confronts the family at the block party. She approaches the mothers and says, “I don’t appreciate what you two are.” The narrator doesn’t understand Mrs. Lockner’s behavior and Meema explains it by saying, “She is full of fear sweetie. She's afraid of what she cannot understand: she doesn't understand us."

The illustrations in this book really express the facial expressions of the characters. You can see the love and adoration in Meema and Marmee's eyes when they first bring each of their children home. They show the joy on the children's faces and they dance, fix family dinners and get ready for their tea party. The illustrations are particularly good at showing how Mrs. Lockner's outburst effected everyone at the block party.

Even though the narrator didn’t have what most view as a traditional family, she still had a wonderful childhood full of fond family memories. The love and laughter that filled her home is what she remembers when she is grown. Although this book is a bit lengthy it is a great introduction to young children about how all families look different.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This gem of a book illustrates how love makes a family, even if it's not a traditional one… the story serves as a model of inclusiveness for children who have same-sex parents, as well as for children who may have questions about a "different" family in their neighborhood. A lovely book that can help youngsters better understand their world.”

BOOKLIST: “The oldest of three adopted children recalls her childhood with mothers Marmee and Meema, as they raised their African American daughter, Asian American son, and Caucasian daughter in a lively, supportive neighborhood. The energetic illustrations in pencil and marker, though perhaps not as well-rendered as in some previous works, teem with family activities and neighborhood festivity. Quieter moments radiate the love the mothers feel for their children and for each other.”

CONNECTIONS
-Talk to students about accepting others even if they are different than you, use quotes from the book to show how hurtful comments can be.

-Have students write about how they feel loved by a family member.