y to sweet: Mother’s Day treats May and mothers go hand-in-hand this month with something for every kind of mom. Whether young, old, new, human or non, everyone loves a mom.
Snuggle up Little ones will snuggle up on mommy’s lap for Bunny My Honey, written and illustrated by Anita Jeram and now available in a board book edition. Bunny loves to stay close to Mommy Rabbit, playing with his friends, Little Duckling and Miss Mouse. But one day he gets lost and finds the forest a scary place until mother rabbit finds him. A comforting story by the illustrator of Guess How Much I Love You.
Strong or soft, she’s my mom Moms are amazingly alike, whether they’re human or animal. In full color illustrations by Peter Elwell and Marion Dane Bauer’s simple, lyrical text, My Mother Is Mine celebrates the qualities that make mothers special. “My mother is soft,” shows a lamb and ewe, while a tiger mother carrying her cub reminds us that “My mother is strong.” The book comes with a free greeting card, just in time for Mother’s Day.
Supermoms are everywhere If you are looking for a book with genuine kid appeal, Supermom is it. Written by Mick Manning and illustrated by Brita Granstrom, the book compares human moms to animal moms as they nurse, cuddle and play games with their kids. Originally published in Britain, Supermom features a multiethnic group of mothers, including African, Indian and Asian. There’s even a punk mom. (“She might look scary, but she always treats her babies very carefully.”) Illustrations and facts about animal moms are scattered throughout the text, and the book includes an index with more facts about the animals that appear.
Simply silly Mothers can do just about anything. Or can they? Find out in What Moms Can’t Do. Douglas Wood and illustrator Doug Cushman, the creators of What Dads Can’t Do, take a silly swipe at mothers everywhere. The mom here is a large green creature a dinosaur with hair perhaps? and it’s clear she needs lots of help from her kid to do even the simplest things. For instance, she can’t watch the scary parts of movies alone. (Not without that kid in her lap for protection.) And she can’t ever let go of a hug without a kiss. But in the end, of course, moms can do one thing better than anyone: love you.
A special book for grandmothers Written by Anne Bowen and illustrated by Greg Shed, a loving grandmother welcomes her new grandchild in I Loved You Before You Were Born. In simple, reassuring words, a grandmother shares how much she dreamed and waited for this child to arrive and remembers how she felt when her grandchild’s father was a baby. A perfect Mother’s Day gift for that new grandma.
Deborah Hopkinson, a Supermom herself, reads tons of children’s books and writes them, too.
