Roni Schotter - Mama, Ill Give You the World

Copyright 2006 by Roni Schotter
Illustrations copyright 2006 by S. Saelig Gallagher

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schotter, Roni.

Mama, Ill give you the World / Roni Schotter ; illustrated by Susan Saelig Gallagher.
p. cm.

Summary: At Walters World of Beauty, Luisas secret plans are underway to create a very special birthday celebration for her hard-working, single mother who is employed there as a stylist.
eBook ISBN: 978-0-449-81143-6
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-375-83612-1
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-0-449-81142-9
[1. BirthdaysFiction. 2. Single-parent familiesFiction. 3. Beauty shopsFiction.] I. Gallagher, Susan, ill. II. Title.

PZ7.S3765Mam 2006b
[Fic]dc22
2005021987

The illustrations are rendered in oil paint.
Book design by Ann Bobco

v3.1

For Jessethe world
R.S.

To Libby, colorful friend and loving mama, for all you give
S.S.G.

W hen Papa was around, Mama loved to dance, but Mama doesnt dance anymore. She works hard every day at Walters World of Beauty, cutting, coloring, and curling.

After school each afternoon, Luisas bus drops her at the door to the World. Everyone greets herWalter, Rupa, Georges, but especially Mama.

Mama smiles and makes a place for Luisaon a cushion, under the palm tree. First things first, Mama always says, so there by Walters Bottles of Beauty, with names that whisper promisesRaspberry Radiance, Evening Glamour Glow, Sunday Night SootherLuisa does her schoolwork.

While Mama, like a magician, turns Mrs. Koos dark hair the color of sunset, Walter, Georges, and Rupa cut and comb.

Luisa does a math problem. Then she writes a story for English about a girl with a magic brush that brushes peoples cares away.

When she finishes her homework, Luisa takes out her scissors, her glue, and her paper and does what Mama doescuts and colors and curlsportraits of the customers. Everyone in the world is a flower, her mother always tells her. Together, they make a bouquet.

So Luisa cuts slowly, noticing how different each flower is, and how each one comes in a special size and shape.

In between customers, Mama rests in her chair and lets Luisa brush her long, thick curls. Luisa brushes hard, pretending she is the girl in her story, carefully watching her mothers face to see if she can make her smile. Mama hardly ever smiles, but when she does, she is the prettiest flower in the World.

Luisa loves to look at the pictures at her mothers station. One is of Luisa; the other is of Mama long agohappy and dancingin a large room that looks like a palace, crowded with people and full of lights. Mama says the name of the palace is Roseland, but Luisa doesnt believe her. She thinks her mother has made up the name because she loves flowers.

Can we go there? Luisa asks. She imagines the two of them holding hands and dancing at the palace Mama calls Roseland.

But Mama shakes her head, no. She holds the picture in her hands, and her eyes look at something far away and once upon a timesomething Luisa can only guess at.

Under the dryers, the ladies loudly whisper their secrets, but Luisa has a secret of her own. Tomorrow is Mamas birthday, and tonight Luisa is going to give her the present shes been planning for such a long time.

For the past few weeks, whenever Mama isnt looking, Luisa has whispered her secret in the ear of each of Mamas favorite customers

when she sweeps up snippets of hair for handsome Mr. Anselmo, who always tells Mama, Just a little off here and a little off there, please leave it as long as you dare, for you see, dont you know? You can see it is so, that I havent a lot left to spare