A Gift for Mama

Starred review, Publishers Weekly, December 2, 2013:
“The beauty and rich culture of historic Vienna course through this sweet, circular story from Lodding. . . . Colorful storefronts, elegant carriages, and a stately opera house depicted in Jay’s earthy palette and crackle varnish help evoke an earlier century.”

School Library Journal, March 2014:
“The narrative is well written and satisfying to read aloud. Jay’s crackle-glazed paintings are as dreamily beautiful as ever, masterfully composed, and full of interesting details. . . . A lovely and successful book about optimism, giving, and love.”

Booklist, March 2014:
“As an introduction to a special time and place, Lodding’s unique offering will prove a treat for sensitive, imaginative readers.”

The New York Times Book Review, May 2014:
“[Jay] and Lodding create an attractive portrait of Vienna as a picturesque toy town inhabited by art lovers and well-mannered aristocrats, but in the end, the gift Oskar’s mother declares she likes best springs directly from nature.”