Ages 4-8
Paperback, hardcover; Spanish edition Un sillón para mi mamá
32
English
1984-08-01
9780688040741
A Chair for My Mother
by Vera B. Williams
Reviewed by Alex Thompson, founder of Kids Financial Guide · Updated November 2026
The short answer
A Chair for My Mother is our pick for showing 4- to 8-year-olds how a family saves, coin by coin, for something that really matters, and a Caldecott Honor classic at $9.99. The story begins with a house fire, so read it first yourself if your child has been through a loss.
| Ages | 4-8 (publisher listing via booksellers; preschool to grade 3) |
|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 paperback (list price), or free from your library |
| Length | 32-page picture book |
| Edition | Greenwillow paperback (first published in hardcover 1982); Spanish edition Un sillón para mi mamá |
| Covers | Saving coins for a goal, working and earning, a family saving together, neighbors helping after a fire |
| Author | Vera B. Williams, author and illustrator; Caldecott Honor |
A Chair for My Mother is a 32-page Caldecott Honor picture book for ages 4 to 8, written and illustrated by Vera B. Williams (first published 1982; now a Greenwillow paperback). After a fire destroys their home, a girl, her mother, who works as a waitress at the Blue Tile Diner, and her grandmother save in a big jar for a soft, comfortable armchair: Mama puts in the coins from her tips, Grandma adds what she can, and the girl puts in half of what she earns helping at the diner. When the jar is full, they take the money to the bank, shop at four furniture stores and choose their chair. A Spanish edition, Un sillón para mi mamá, is also available.
Ratings
Educational Value
Engagement
Clarity
Practical Application
Value For Money
What Kids Will Learn
- 1Saving small amounts over time adds up to something big
- 2Save a set part of what you earn (the girl puts half her pay in the jar)
- 3Money comes from work
- 4Families can save together for a shared goal
- 5Looking at a few choices before you buy
Parental Guidance
Tips for using this book:
- Read the book together and discuss the financial concepts presented
- Use the book as a starting point for conversations about money management
- Try out some of the activities and exercises with your child
- Connect the book's lessons to real-world experiences in your family
Full Review
A Chair for My Mother is a Caldecott Honor picture book about a family saving for one thing that matters. After a fire destroys their home, a girl, her mother and her grandmother move into a new apartment that neighbors and relatives help furnish. What they don't have is a comfortable chair for the mother to rest in after her shifts as a waitress at the Blue Tile Diner. So the family starts saving in a big jar: Mama's tip coins, whatever Grandma can add, and half of what the girl earns helping at the diner. When it is finally full, they take the coins to the bank, then visit four furniture stores before choosing the perfect chair. Vera B. Williams wrote and painted it, and it was named a Caldecott Honor book. As a money book, it does three things well: it shows saving as slow and steady, it ties the money to work, and it shows a family choosing carefully once they have saved enough. The fire at the start is the one thing to prepare for. It is handled gently and the story is about recovery, but read it first if your child has been through something similar.
Our Verdict
Our take: this is our pick for showing young kids what saving for a goal looks like over time, and it pairs well with Tía Isa Wants a Car, which shows a family splitting its money between two goals. Start a family jar of your own after reading it, and let your child drop in the first coins (keep the jar lidded and out of reach of babies and toddlers).
A Chair for My Mother: our in-depth review
What the book teaches
The family has one clear goal: a big, soft armchair for the mother, who comes home tired from her job as a waitress. The girl, her mother and her grandmother all save in one big jar: Mama puts in her tip coins every evening, Grandma adds what she can, and the girl puts in half of what she earns helping at the diner. The jar fills slowly, and the book lets that slowness show.
When the jar is full, they take the money to the bank. Then they shop at four furniture stores before choosing. That is a quiet lesson in itself: once you have saved, you take your time and compare before you spend.
Starting with a fire
The story opens with a fire that destroyed the family's home and everything in it. The book moves quickly to how neighbors and relatives bring furniture to help. For most children it is a gentle introduction to the idea that families sometimes start over, and that a community helps.
Some children may ask whether a fire could happen to them. Keep your answer simple and calm: reassure them first that grown-ups work hard to keep them safe, then, if they want to know more, talk about what your family does, like smoke alarms, a meeting place outside, and practicing getting out together. If your child has been through a fire or another loss, read it yourself first and decide whether the timing is right.
Reading it together
Read it once for the story. On the second read, stop at the jar and ask who is putting money in, and talk about how the mother earns money at her job. With 6- to 8-year-olds, talk about how long it might take to fill a jar if you added a little every day.
Questions to talk about: Why did the family want a chair so much? Who put money in the jar? Why did they visit four stores instead of buying the first chair they saw? What would our family save for together? The girl saved half of what she earned. What could you do with the other half?
For a hands-on start tonight, find a clear jar, choose a small family goal you can reach in a few weeks, and draw a line partway up to show when you will have enough. Let your child add a coin or two (with 4- and 5-year-olds, stay close while they handle coins, since coins are a choking hazard), keep the jar lidded and out of reach of babies and toddlers, and check the jar together each week. No spare coins? Draw the jar on paper and color in a line each time you set something aside.
Who it's best for
It is listed for ages 4 to 8 and suits the whole range: younger kids follow the jar and the shopping, older kids can talk about work, saving time and choices. It is a warm pick for any family saving toward something, and for kids who like stories about family and neighbors.
For a story about a family splitting its money between two goals, pair it with Tía Isa Wants a Car. If your child loves this family, Something Special for Me and A Chair for Always continue their story. Many libraries carry A Chair for My Mother in English and in Spanish as Un sillón para mi mamá.
Frequently asked questions
What age is A Chair for My Mother for?
It is listed for ages 4 to 8 (preschool to grade 3). Four- and five-year-olds can follow the coin jar and the shopping trip; 6- to 8-year-olds can also talk about why the family needs the chair and how long the saving took.
What does A Chair for My Mother teach kids about money?
A Chair for My Mother teaches that saving a little at a time adds up to something big. The girl, her mother and her grandmother put money in a jar until it is full, then take it to the bank and buy the chair. It also connects money to work: the mother saves the coins from her tips as a waitress, and the girl puts half of what she earns helping at the diner into the jar.
Is A Chair for My Mother sad?
It begins with a fire that destroyed the family's home and belongings, so some children may have questions or feel worried. The story focuses on what comes next: neighbors helping, the family saving together, and a happy ending with the new chair. If your child has been through a fire or a loss, read it yourself first.
Is A Chair for My Mother available in Spanish?
Yes. A Spanish edition, Un sillón para mi mamá, has been published, and many libraries carry it. Vera B. Williams also wrote more books about the same family, including Something Special for Me and A Chair for Always.
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