Alia and Mamou: A Book About a Child and Her Nanny

Weekly Trip to the Library
By Thomas Dohman, Author of Alia and Mamou

Alia and Mamou,at its core, is a book of appreciation for what our daughter's nanny has given to our family and a lasting record of the relationship they share.

When our daughter, Alia, was born, my wife and I faced the choices that all parents encounter. Should we have one parent stay home to care for our child? Day care? Nanny? We initially started with day care, but had the good fortune of meeting the woman who would eventually become Alia's nanny, who she called "Mamou."

All parents worry about making the right decisions, and hiring a nanny brings many questions of its own. We brought “Mamou” on as our nanny and realized very quickly that we had made the right decision. One day, Mamou asked me a favor: “You must make sure she remembers me and how much we meant to each other.” This book is a direct result of that conversation. It is an attempt to record exactly what a nanny and her charge mean to one another.

The characters in the book are squirrels based on their real-life counterparts. Throughout the book, Alia and Mamou participate in many activities together. Many times, Mamou is doing more than Alia realizes for Alia's benefit. During an interaction with a stranger, Alia considers her true relationship with Mamou, deciding that “nanny” must be another word for “best friend.”

The 24-page book is appropriate for all ages, and highlights the fact that nannies very often play more than just the role of care taker, but also of best friend throughout the child's formative years.

Alia and Mamoumakes a great gift from either side: From parents who want their nanny to know how much they appreciate them or from a nanny who wants the family they work for to know how much their child means to them.

You can purchase your own copy of Alia and Mamouby clicking any of the links above or below:

Alia and Mamou