Are You My Mother?
A newly hatched baby bird finds his nest empty — his mother has flown off to find food — and sets out to search for her, not knowing what she looks like. Along the way he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, a cow, a car, a boat, and a plane the same question, "Are you my mother?", before an enormous steam shovel named Snort lifts him back into his nest, where his mother is waiting. Written and illustrated by P. D. Eastman, this 1960 Beginner Books classic (a series co-founded and edited by Dr. Seuss) remains one of the best-loved early readers for its simple vocabulary and its story of a child's determined search for home.
The baby bird's mother, who leaves the nest to find food and is reunited with her chick at the end of the story.
A steam shovel, named for the sound it makes, that the baby bird climbs onto believing it is its mother; it ultimately lifts the bird back into its nest.
The first animal the baby bird asks "Are you my mother?" during its search.
One of the animals the baby bird mistakes for its mother during its search.
Yes — it was adapted as a live-action video in the Beginner Book Video series in 1991, directed and produced by Ray Messecar. It has also been adapted into a stage musical by ArtsPower, with music by Richard DeRosa.
While not written by Dr. Seuss, P. D. Eastman was a protégé of Seuss and this book is part of the Beginner Books series, which Seuss co-founded and edited. It shares the series' characteristic simple vocabulary and engaging illustrations designed for early readers.