Spending time reading with your little one is just the best. Here are my top choices for that bonding time on Mother’s Day. I tried to select some classics, but also to give some variety- old books and new, different settings & characters. I value reading books that can act as windows into other cultures, places, even ways of thinking. I also adore the coziness of reading a comforting story that will emphasize the consistency of a mother’s love and devotion. This compilation of my Top 5 Picture Books for Mother’s Day is a big old mess of books I love:)
A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
Both a classic and Caldecott Winner, A Chair for My Mother is a story about a girl and her mother who are saving to replace a chair that was lost in a fire that destroyed the family’s home. The story includes a traumatic event- a house fire- but also includes a wonderful story of community coming together to help a mother and daughter. Then we observe persistence and patience as the family saves for their coveted furnishing. I love the strong spirit of this little family and the support shown by the community to help them. In spite of such a terrible event, perhaps even in part because of it, we can appreciate the consistency and love shown throughout the story. I found it a gentle way to show that life can have extremely challenging events, but families can persist and thrive.
Find A Chair For My Mother at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown & Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joose & Babara Lavallee
I know this is a Top 5 List, but these two, written 50 years apart, have a similar theme with completely different settings and characters. Runaway Bunny is definitely an oldie but goodie. First published in 1942, Runaway Bunny has never been out of print. The story tells of a story of a little bunny who is considering running away from home and his mother states all the ways she will follow him- no matter the lengths she has to go to. Spoiler alert, in the end, he does not run away secure in his mother’s love and care.
Mama, Do You Love Me? takes place in the Arctic, where a little girl questions her mother if she would love her if she looked like a variety of different animals and even (gasp!) misbehaved when she was the animal. As we know, a mother’s love is unequivocal, and Mama reassures the child through the entire story. For all of my fellow language-lovers, this story has beautiful, novel vocabulary that helps to demonstrate the universal love parents have for their children across all places and cultures. The stunning illustrations help to make the story feel a bit magical and add to the warm, comforting message of the story.
Find Runaway Bunny at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon. Find Mama, Do You Love Me? at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story by Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell
I’m often slightly skeptical of children’s books written by celebrities, but the rhythm and language, along with the super creative illustrations, make My Mommy Hung the Moon a real treasure. “My mommy hung the moon. She tied it with string. My mommy’s good at EVERYTHING.” Jamie Lee Curtis has written several children’s stories and each one has a lovely rhythm and interesting plays on words, which I just love.
Warning: I cannot get through this book without crying. When my children were little, they really thought I, their Mommy, was that important. It was incredibly humbling and sobering to realize that was the level of responsibility I had. It’s probably a little deeper than Ms. Curtis meant the message to go, but it really gave me some feels.
Find My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Are You My Mother? By PD Eastman
One of my favorite oldies but goodies. In Are You My Mother? a mama bird leaves the nest to look for food and her baby bird searches for her. The little bird asks a series of animals and vehicles, “Are you my mother?” and is happily reunited with her at the end. The repetitive text is comforting and a little silly, allowing for some joining in as the child becomes more familiar with the story. The reassuring ending brings the baby bird back to his mother and nest. Conversations around the differences between animals and vehicles as the story is read can lead to some nice real-life connections.
Find Are You My Mother? at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
BigMama’s by Donald Crews
I enjoy everything Donald Crews does. Bigmama’s is a sweet story about four children going to visit their mother’s mother, ergo “Bigmama,” by taking a train ride to the farm in Florida. It is nostalgic and harkens of a simpler time. The story places value on the “old fashioned” ways in a place that never seems to change with a large multigenerational family. The fun, boisterous family shows their love for one another by participating in simple tasks, such as taking care of the animals and sharing mealtimes. There is ample opportunity in this story to talk about earlier times and how families used to live, assisted by simple illustrations to help tell the story. It appeals to my language-nerd side with the unassuming language that explains so much in a gentle, matter-of-fact way.
Find Bigmama’s at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Bonus Pick: What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff & Lynn Munsinger
(An added Bonus selection my Top 5 Children’s Books for Mother’s Day, I wanted to throw a little shine on Dads too.)
What do Mommies do best? Well, like everything. While I love Mother’s Day, Dads are pretty great too. What Mommies Do Best has a partner book, What Daddies Do Best, and, the surprise is, they both do a lot of really great stuff in their own ways. The sweet stories, often sold bound back-to-back, emphasize the importance of parents in their children’s lives- from helping them when they’re sick, teaching them new skills and being silly. Some days as a mom, I know I feel like I’m not doing enough, but the tender list acts as a reminder of all the tiny things we do as parents that have a big impact.
Find What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Thank you for reading this eclectic mix of my top 5+ books for Mother’s Day! Please take what is helpful, share what someone else might like, and leave the rest. Enjoy your Mother’s Day!
For more ideas on selecting children’s books, please visit the blog post: Choosing Books for Your Little!
