Mommy's Lap by Ruth Horowitz

Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. 24 pages. Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1993.

Sophie loves being in Mommy's lap, a very special place. When Mommy becomes pregnant, there is less room in her lap and she is generally less available to Sophie and somewhat preoccupied with the new baby. Sophie tolerates this unhappily. When baby Sam is born, Mommy immediately finds room for both Sam and Sophie on her lap -- and when she holds Sam herself, Sophie learns that her own lap is a wonderful place. This story helps children understand that their mother's preoccupation during pregnancy is temporary, and that even though things will never be the same when a new baby is born, their relationship with their mother isn't just diminished, it's more differentiated and complex, through the child's identification with her.

Ages: 3-7
Cultural Context: European American