Mama Books: Picture Books that Celebrate Mothers

The other day, Landon had a stack of picture books that he had pulled from our “special shelf.” They were all what he called “mama books.” The stories were of different genres, different lengths, different illustration styles, but they all had one thing in common–mamas. 

My Landon has always been a “mama’s boy,” in a good way. Quick to snuggle, quick to reach for my hand, quick to connect when we have been a part. It wasn’t surprising that he had the idea of pulling out these favorites and enjoying them as a little collection.

As April nears its end and we turn our attention to May, we think of flowers in full bloom, end-of-the-year school activities, and, of course, Mother’s Day. It seems like the perfect time to share these titles with you in case you are wanting to grow your own collection of mama books. Enjoy!

Mommy’s Best Kisses by Margaret Anastas

This one would also be on a list of our favorite bedtime stories. It is short and sweet, with precious illustrations of mommy and baby animals. As the mommy animals kiss their babies on their fingers, necks, cheeks, etc., the human mommy reading the book has no choice but to likewise kiss her babies (though I’d always blow kisses down to knees and toes). This one is a great way to snuggle up with little ones at bedtime. 

Mama Went Walking by Christine Berry

Here a mother-daughter team adventure together in their imaginations to the beat of a steady cadence. I’ve challenged the kids to write their own adventure scenes while mimicking the rhythmic pattern of the book. “Mama went a-riding in the Ropacactus Canyon…”

A Gift for Mama by Linda Ravin Lodding

A Gift for Mama follows a sweet little boy on a day-long quest through the streets of long-ago Vienna to find the perfect birthday gift for his mother. The story takes a circular path and ends with mother and son in a loving embrace, just as it should.

The captivating illustration style of Alison Jay adds much to the story—texture, color, and fascinating details to explore.

Mama Seeton’s Whistle by Jerry Spinelli

Poor Mama Seeton struggles with an empty nest. In a way this book is more for the parent reading it than for the children, but then again, people of all ages can find themselves resisting change—struggling to enter the “new days” while grieving the end of the “old days.” Even if the deeper themes don’t resonate with your kids, mine have always enjoyed the illustrations, specifically the way the sound and feel of Mama Seeton’s whistle is captured with color and moving line. They also like to muse about what it would be like to have a mother who bakes a chocolate cake every single day. They will just have to keep wondering about that one.

You, Me and the Big Blue Sea by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

A mother reminisces with her son about a voyage they took on a ship when the boy was “only a baby,” but the words of the mother and the illustrations tell two very different stories. We see in the illustrations that the boy observed much more of the ship’s goings-on than the mother did! We are in on the joke as the mother repeats her refrain, “You wouldn't remember, you were only a baby.”