Author: Vera B. Williams
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 0-688-00914-X
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams is a beautiful story narrated by a young girl whose family lost everything they owned in a fire. While they were able to find a new home and were given generous donations from neighbors, friends, and family members, they did not have a sofa or comfortable chair. The book tells the story of how the mother, a waitress, the grandmother, and the little girl saved up their change in a large jar until they were able to buy the perfect chair.
The beautiful illustrations in the book can make it hard to remember that you are reading a memoir. The fact that the story is narrated by the young girl, helps bring you back to the genre. The vibrant colors and landscapes shown in the illustration make it obvious that this family lives in the inner-city. This along with the mother's job as a waitress and the family saving coins in a jar brings on the realization that they are part of the working class.
It is easy to see that Williams was brought up to treasure and appreciate the value of family. The young girl is very grateful to her hard working mother and wishes that she could have a nice place to rest after a hard day's work. She also wants her grandmother to have a nice chair to sit in while she prepares dinner. You can feel the warmth and love shared between the family members just by reading. It makes you think of your family and experiences you have shared together.
The scene where the young girl discusses the fire stands out from the rest of the book. The illustrations on these pages are dark and dreary, the only colorful parts being the family members. This strong contrast also shows the importance of family, especially during difficult times.
The build-up to finally going to shop for and purchase the chair, the smiling faces in the illustrations, and the sentence, "Grandma said she felt like Goldilocks in 'The Three Bears' trying out all the chairs," showed how important this memory is to Williams.
The feelings of joy and accomplishment when finally being able to purchase something after saving for so long is incredible. Williams' illustrations and choice of words brings the reader back to important goals they have achieved in their lives and makes feel as if they too are experiencing this happy moment along with the family.
I vividly remember this book from childhood. I was definitely originally drawn to the book because of the beautifully colored pink border around it. This is a great memoir story, and Wiliams does a great job of bringing the story to life. I remember feeling so happy for the family when they finally were able to buy the chair.
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