The girl who narrates this breezy picture book tries to guess what her mother is most thankful for in her "whole long, long, long life." Leafing through a big scrapbook, she stops to consider the possibilities as Mama reminisces about the high points in her past. The pictures show her at summer camp, on a soccer team, on stage, at her prom, in a college musical, at her first job, and in her wedding. The child is heartened to discover her mother's "most thankful thing." What might have been a sticky-sweet ending is kept palatable and reassuring in a child-centered way thanks to the light touch used by McCourt and Moore, who previously collaborated on I Love You, Stinky Face (1997) and several other books. The use of a black background on the scrapbook pages is an effective device, setting the photos apart from the other scenes, nicely reinforcing the notion that mothers have lives before parenthood, sure to be a new idea for some children. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved