Mum’s the Word – Picture Books About Mums

With Mother’s Day just a few days away, here in the UK, I thought I’d share another round of our favourite picture books about mums! Or rather an update on last year’s post since two of the books are such big favourites I’m including them again! But there are also some new ones, including one we were sent for review, as members of the Books & Pieces Parent Panel. So, let’s get started! Clockwise, starting from the top:

• Little Jumbo, Great Mum*, by Yasushi Muraki – This is one of the first board books I ever bought for my elder son, and was a favourite with our younger son too. In fact, even though he’s three now and outgrowing the board book stage, he still brings me this one to read. We have the German edition, but it’s also available in English. The story shows the relationship between Jumbo and his mum, who always protects him and looks out for him, no matter what. The simple illustrations are beautiful.
• Just Like Mummy*, by Lucy Freegard – This one is one we borrowed from the library. It’s a sweet story about a little leopard wanting to be just like their mummy when they grow up. Mummy is both loving and silly, creative and practical. She knows how to have fun, and can deal with any situation. I love this book because it is a sweet celebration of mums, and the illustrations are really cute too. Also the child (or leopard) in it could be a boy or a girl, so all children can identify with the character in the story.
• My Mummy is Magic, by Dawn Richards (author) & Jane Massey (illustrator) – We were sent a free copy of this book by Amanda, from Books & Pieces, for review. It’s about a little child, who thinks their mummy is magic because whenever magic happens, mummy is never far away. She can magic everything better when you hurt yourself, she knows how to make you laugh when you feel grumpy, she makes stories come to life. The book also addresses missing mummy when she has to go to work, by explaining that other people need a bit of mummy’s magic too. It’s the perfect gift for a new mum or for Mother’s Day. The illustrations are lovely, and this another book where the child could be a boy or a girl. So thank you very much, Amanda, for sending us this book for review. We love it! It is available on the Books & Pieces website at a discounted price, as well as part of the 3 for £10 bundle offer. And if you quote the discount code BearFox10, you will receive an extra 10% off your order!
• The Mummy Shop*, by Abie Longstaff (author) & Lauren Beard (illustrator) – In this book, a little boy is fed up and cross with his mummy, because she keeps telling him to tidy his room, doesn’t let him bounce in the sofa, and makes him get in and out of the bath at all the wrong times. So he rings the ‘Mummy Shop’, which promises to have ‘a mummy to suit everyone’. But none of the replacement mummies seem quite right – one only cooks carrots, another makes him wear itchy woolly underpants. He begins to think maybe he’s made a big mistake and maybe his own mummy the right one after all. But is it too late? A laugh-out-loud tale of one boy’s quest to find the perfect mummy.
• Monkey Puzzle*, by Julia Donaldson (author) & Axel Scheffler (illustrator) – A modern classic, Monkey Puzzle tells the story of a little monkey separated from his mother. He tries to find his mum with the well-meaning help of a butterfly, who leads him to all kinds of unsuitable animals. There’s a clever twist at the end, which sheds some light on the butterfly’s confusion. And all’s well that ends well.

And don’t forget, The Bear & The Fox now has its own YouTube channel! You can find a video of this week’s book round-up, where I talk you through this week’s recommendations and give a bit more insight in to each book! Check it out here >> Mum’s the Word | Picture Book Round-up And, of course, I’d also be really grateful if you would subscribe. Thanks!

Do you have any other favourite books about mums? Please feel free to share your recommendations in the comments below!

Please note that all the book links in this post marked with an * are Amazon affiliate links. That means if you buy any books via these links, I receive a small percentage – at no extra cost to you! – which helps to keep this blog running. Thank you.