Mother picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. These titles may be found on my Amazon Storefront under Mother Picture Books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/12CS5H0573OX2?ref_=aipsflist .)
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
Mamiachi & Me: My Mami’s Mariachi Band
by Jolene Gutiérrez (Author), Dakota Gutiérrez (Author), Mirelle Ortega (Illustrator)
Summary: Rosa’s mother is a mariachi. Today is Rosa’s turn to play her violin with her mother’s group. She is nervous but after hearing the beautiful sounds from the guitar, trumpet, and vihuela, she knows this is where she belongs.
Comments: How cute is it that the author used the combination of Mami (which means mommy) and mariachi to create mamiachi.
This is a lovely book celebrating cultural heritage, sisterhood, and musical instruments.
The backmatter includes the history of mariachi and how women have now been included. There is also a labeled diagram of a charra suit.
Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Mama Car
by Lucy Catchpole (Author), Karen George (Illustrator)
Summary: A toddler shares the daily adventures she has with her mother. The perspective of the mother’s wheelchair is shown through the girl’s eyes. She has a tricycle while dad has the big car, and Mom has a Mama car.
Comments: The use of the wheelchair is part of the normal life of the family. Instead of focusing on what the mother cannot do, it focuses on how the mother engages with the child. What a refreshing story that is not about a disability but about ability. This is a definite read-aloud.
One thing I enjoyed seeing was the author’s photo in the back while sitting in her wheelchair with her two beautiful daughters on either side. Lovely story.
The illustrations were created using gouache paint and colored pencils.
The illustrations were created using gouache paint and colored pencils.
Rating: 4.5/5📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
A Cup of Quiet
by Nikki Grimes (Author), Cathy Ann Johnson (Illustrator)
Summary: When a grandmother and granddaughter’s day becomes a bit too noisy, they retreat to the garden to find peace and stillness together.
Comments: The illustrations were created with mixed media, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and digital.
Rating: 4.5/5📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Fierce Aunties!
by Laurel Goodluck (Author), Steph Littlebird (Illustrator)
Summary: This text honors the important, loving, and protective roles that aunties hold in Native families and communities, especially during times when parents may be preoccupied. Aunties are not limited to being a mom’s or dad’s sister; they can also be older cousins or close family friends.
Comments: The illustrations were created in Procreate.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
The Greatest River
by Namita Moolani Mehra (Author), Khoa Le (Illustrator)
Summary: Ananda, a young girl, listens to her sick mother talk about the legend of the Ganga, a holy river that heals those who bathe in its waters. Ananda accompanies her aunt, Maasi, to bathe in the Ganges River in India and experiences a spiritual connection.
Comments: The author’s note explains that at 13, she traveled from New York with her mother to bathe in the sacred river.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Grumpy Monkey Mom for a Day
by Suzanne Lang (Author), Max Lang (Illustrator)
Summary: Jim Panzee volunteers to take care of jungle babies so their mothers can rests. He learns that being a mom is not as easy as it looks.
Comments: A fun and whimsical book to read aloud.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Home Is a Wish
by Julia Kuo (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: A young girl, her mother, and Amah leave their home for a new one in a different country where everything feels unfamiliar. Over time, they work together to create a new home.
Comments: A gentle book about immigration that would be a wonderful read aloud.
The illustrations were created using Adobe Photoshop and a Wacom tablet.
Rating: 4.5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
I Loved You First
by Jenna Bush Hager (Author), Barbara Pierce Bush (Author), Ramona Kaulitzki (Illustrator)
Summary: This book is a heartfelt expression of the unconditional love a parent feels for their child as soon as they hold their child and spend time with them as they grow up.
Comments: The illustrations were created using hand-painted textures and digital watercolor, and pencil brushes in Photoshop.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Midnight Motorbike
by Maureen Shay Tajsar (Author), Ishita Jain (Illustrator)
Summary: A dreamy bedtime adventure where a girl and her Amma take a motorbike ride through the moonlit city, celebrating imagination and connection while smelling, seeing, hearing everything around them.
Comments: The illustrations were created with gouache, acrylic gouache, crayons, and colored pencils.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
My Mom
by Susan Quinn (Author), Sarah Mathew (Illustrator)
Summary: A gentle and loving tribute to the many roles a mother plays in her child’s life, from nurturer to superhero.
Comment: This would be a nice bedtime story.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Outside Mom, Inside Mom
by Jane Park (Author), Lenny Wen (Illustrator)
Summary: A Korean American child and his mother, Umma, behave differently in public compared to how they act in private. When they are outside, they use English, but when they are at home, they communicate in Korean. They adapt their language to fit their social identity, switching between languages as needed until they feel more comfortable and safe in their new environment.
Comments: I appreciated how the mother and child shared how they express their feelings and behavior in different environments.
The illustrations were created in gouache and colored pencils.
A superb read aloud!
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
That’s Not Funny, David!
by David Shannon (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: David is a comedian who tries to make everyone laugh, but he discovers that not all of his antics are funny to everyone. Ultimately, he still has his mother’s unconditional love.
Comments: He’s back! I missed David. I’d recognize that giant head and triangular teeth anywhere. Children identify with the antics of this little boy and laugh out loud.
A must for every library.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Wash Day with Mama
by Monica Mikai (Author)
Summary: A young girl treasures each step of her hair washing ritual with her mother, who shares self-care, self-love, and pride in one’s identity tips while sharing jokes and singing.
Comments: Sweet story of mother and daughter bonding.
The illustrations were created digitally using Procreate on an iPad Pro.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
We Leap Together
by Christopher Silas Neal (Author)
Summary: A humpback whale and calf are compared to the many similarities of a human mother and her child.
Comments: The illustrations were created with mixed media. This is an example of comparative narrative. It also can be paired with a nonfiction whale book. Or, create a chart with the love of the whale mother to that of the human child.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Cheeky Chick!
by Julia Jarman (Author), Tom Knight (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Mother Hen firmly instructed her chicks to stay close to the roast and strongly advised them not to wander off due to the fox lurking nearby. Despite her warning, one of the chicks recklessly went on a little adventure and encountered various farm animals along the way. Unfortunately, the chick eventually met the fox who relentlessly chased after it. The question now is, can the chick outsmart the fox and make a daring escape?
Comments: This is a humorous yet serious story that teaches children to listen to their mothers and stay close to home to avoid danger.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
A World of Love
by Aimee Elizabeth Reid (Author), Christopher Lyles (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Animal parents and their offspring are described in a rhyming text that explains how they express their love for each other in unique ways.
Comments: This is a lovely bedtime story with beautiful illustrations that emphasize the depth of the love between a parent and a child.
The illustrations are made using a combination of collage, hand-painted papers, pencils, and crayons.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
For You, I Will
by Elle Duncan (Author), Laura Freeman (Illustrator)
Brief summary: The mom made a promise to her daughter that she would teach her how to be confident in the world and achieve success. She plans to do this by setting a loving and supportive example. This promise is something she plans to keep for her daughter’s entire life.
Comments: The illustrations were created digitally.
This would make a reassuring bedtime story to share with a daughter.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Yaya and the Sea
by Karen Good Marable (Author), Tonya Engel (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Yaya and her mother take the subway to meet her mother’s friends and go to the sea for their annual spring equinox prayer to Mama Ocean.
Comments: The book is based on the author’s true story. The Author’s Note explains the ritual and symbolism of the objects offered to the sea.
The illustrations were created with acrylic underpainting and finished with oils on primed archival paper.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Counting on Mom
by Odd Dot (Author), Valentina Jaskina (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This is a counting book that goes up to ten, featuring mothers taking care of their young.
Comments: The story features cute animals with happy faces, making it a gentle bedtime tale for toddlers. It includes a counting and a motherly theme.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Mamá’s Panza
by Isabel Quintero (Author), Iliana Galvez (Illustrator)
Brief summary: The boy explains that “panza” means belly and describes different types. His favorite is his mother’s because it was his first home – a soft, cuddly, and comforting place.
Comments: This was created with scanned color pencils and digital paintbrushes.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Mommy’s New Friend
by Shelley Tougas (Author), Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Lilly shares what she wants to do and say when her Mommy’s new friend, Carl, visits, but instead, she politely adjusts to the new routines and learns how to live with someone new in her life while still loving her parents, even though they are no longer together like before.
Comments: This book is a must-read for teachers, school counselors, and divorced parents. It follows Lilly’s journey of growth and acceptance in the midst of family changes.
The illustrations were created with cut paper, acrylic, and digital media.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Mamas and Babies
by Christie Matheson (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: This primary nonfiction picture shows different mothers and how they care for their offspring.
Comments: These charming watercolor illustrations capture the bond between mother and child, each one spanning two pages.
This nonfiction book would make a lovely bedtime story due to its gentle and soothing pictures and words.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
If You Were the Moon, My Love
By Alina Loux (author & illustrator). Publisher : Ken-Ken Books. 2023. PreK-2. Hardcover. ISBN: 979-8-9865279-4-9.
Brief summary: This gentle rhyming and rhythmic lullaby of unconditional love for a parent to a child will give your little one sweet dreams.
Each stanza is a single illustration that extends across both pages with calm, eye-pleasing colors. At the same time, the four-line stanzas have an ABCB rhyming pattern that is soothing to the ears.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
* I received a complimentary digital copy of this picture book for an honest review.
Sari-Sari Summers
by Lynnor Bontigao (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: Nora is old enough this summer to help her lola, her grandmother, in the sari-sari store in the Philippines. The granddaughter cleans all of the shelves that hold various items in the little store.
A heat wave comes, and all the customers stay home from the hot sun. Lola has an idea to bring back business.
Traditional text as well as speech bubbles. Recipe on the back page. Several two-page spreads.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Milko
by Samuel Narh & Freda Narh (Author), Alisa Knatko (Illustrator)
Summary: Milko misses his mother, who has gone to Ethiopia for a year instead of being home with them in Bolivia. His sister, Abena, cries too, but Papa cannot console them. No one does it like Mama.
Milko counts down the days. Will she ever return?
Comments: I recommend this to school counselors, librarians, teachers, and parents who are away for jobs or military deployment.
This SEL text serves as a perfect prompt for a heart-centered writing activity. Students could compose a letter or draw a picture for someone they are currently missing.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
One Day
by Joanna Ho (Author), Faith Pray (Illustrator)
Summary: A mother cradles her infant son and dreams and shares all the wonderful ways her boy will be as he grows up.
Comments: The beautiful two-page spread illustrations support the quiet, reflections of the hopes and dreams a mother has for her child. I think this would be one teachers could share with students and have discussions of their future aspirations.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Because I’m Your Mom
by Ahmet Zappa (Author), Dan Santat (Illustrator)
Summary: A monster mom tells her child all the fun and silly things they can share together, no matter how outrageous they may seem.
Comments: The monster characters make the message of unconditional love feel approachable and lighthearted. The mother’s voice can be protective but also humorous.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
If you enjoy this book, you may be interested in reading Because I’m Your Dad.
Miss Irwin
by Allen Say (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: Andy notices his grandmother’s front door is open and stops by to let her know. He discovers his mother is watering the roses. Andy goes inside the kitchen to keep his Grandma company. He notices a white box and takes it to her, wondering what is inside.
His grandmother believes she is his kindergarten teacher, Miss Irwin. Andy plays along, remembering that his mother told him his grandmother was struggling with her memory. He learns about a boy named Willie and what is inside the box.
Comments: Allen Say certainly captured Alzheimer’s with a compassionate story all can understand. The illustrations of the images are not seen clearly and symbolize blurred memories.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Mommy Time
by Monique James-Duncan (Author), Ebony Glenn (Illustrator)
Summary: A stay-at-home mom spends time with her boy as the father and sister are away. The daughter is collected from school, and now the two children share mommy time.
Comments: The book is about a day in the mom’s life and the time she spends with her children. This book could be introduced as a read-aloud asking students what activities they enjoy doing with their mother. What is one way the characters showed they loved each other without saying it?
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.