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Big Mama makes the world picture

From the archives

Big Mama Makes the World

Nicolette Jones: ‘A particular favourite of mine is Big Mama Makes the World by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

This is a sort of feminist, revisionist version of the creation in which the creator is a mother who is busy with her other jobs looking after the baby, whilst incidentally, on the side, she happen to create the world. I think that’s a glorious notion and a great reflection of the way mothers seem to be superhuman and they multi-task and can do everything whilst they do everything else.

“I love this illustration of the mother apparently keeping an eye on the child, putting it to sleep whilst she also, just casually, puts the moon up in the sky.”

Nicolette Jones is the writer and Sunday Times children’s book editor. Phyllis Root is the author of fifty books for children, including Big Momma Makes the World, which won a Boston Globe Horn Book Award
Big Mama makes the world picture

“Moon,”
said Big Mama.
“You take care of the Night”

Big Mama had nearly had enough. Making the world was a lot of work, what with the laundry piling up and plates needing washing

Big Mama - pile of washing
She thought she‘d finish everything off in one big bang.
”I need some creepers and crawlers“ she said. “Some runners and jumpers” “Some diggers and divers”
“And anyone else who wants to be created – now’s your chance!”
Big Mama - birds

Soon there were more whales and minnows and parrots and crows than a little baby could shake a stick at (which a little baby could do if a little baby wanted to, now that Big Mama had made trees full of sticks)

Big Mama Makes The World, was published by Walker Books in 2002, though it is currently out of print.

From the darkness into the light, from high up in the clouds down to the bottom of the ocean. From a ball of mud to a big bang. Big Mama shines, larger-than-life and down-to-earth, and with her baby sitting on her hip and the laundry piling up.

When Big Mama made the world, she didn’t mess about. Earth sky and sea, sun and moon, plants and trees, fish, birds and animals all fell right in line with Big Mama’s plans. What Big Mama wants, Big Mama gets. That’s how it is.

Phyllis Root and Helen Oxenbury have given us a creation myth like no other in the world. As Big Mama would say, “Good. That’s very, very good.”

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Helen’s exhibition, Helen Oxenbury: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and Other Adventures will continue at the Harley Gallery, Nottinghamshire until January 4

About Helen Oxenbury

Read more about the life and times of Helen Oxenbury

Exhibition

Helen Oxenbury: Illustrating the Land of Childhood, ran at Burgh House, until December.

New Book

Read more about Helen Oxenbury and Michaels Rosen’s new collaboration: Oh Dear, Look what I got!