Asha’s Mums
reviewed by Judith E. Beckett, R.N.
written by Rosalind Elwin and Michele Paulse
Women’s Press, Toronto, Canada, 1990.
This is a great little book and it could be your introduction to a situation that you might encounter when your child starts school.
Asha and her classmates are excited about the trip their class will soon be taking to the Science Center. But there is a problem. Asha’s permission slip is signed by two mums and Ms. Samuels, her teacher, wants to know which one of the names on the form belongs to Asha’s mother.
“Both,” Asha responds. But Ms. Samuels informs her, “You can’t have two mums”.
The next day, after Mum Alice and Mum Sara have paid an instructional visit to Ms. Samuels, Asha draws a picture of her family for Show and Tell. A lively classroom discussion follows. When one child asks, “Is it wrong to have two mummies?” another responds, “It’s not wrong if they’re nice to you and you like them.”
Another favorite page: When her newly enlightened classmates meet Asha’s mothers, they ask each one, “Which mum are you?” Both Mums respond, “Mummy number one.”
The book is written by two Canadian women of color, Rosamund Elwin and Michele Paulse. The multicultural watercolor pictures were painted by Dawn Lee.
To purchase this book, please visit: Two Lives Publishing Website
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