Monday, April 27, 2015

The Best Mother's Day Picture Books

 For the 4 years I've been a mother it's been our family tradition to go to a book store each Mother's Day to buy two or three new picture books.  It's my way of treating myself.  It does my heart good to watch treasured picture book collection grow.   With Mother's Day being only 2 weeks away I thought I'd share my top 15 favorite picture books celebrating motherhood.  After all, you can't go wrong with giving a fabulous picture book as a Mother's Day gift.


MY 4 YEAR OLD SON'S FAVORITES



1.  Little Lost Owl
     Written and illustrated by Chris Haughton
      
     Recommended for:  Ages 0-5
     Style:  Funny, simple
     Why I Love this Book: The illustrations are so unique and colorful, and the plot is both funny and endearing.





2.  Just Me and My Mom
     Written and Illustrated by Mercer Meyer

     Recommended for:  Ages 0-5
     Style:  Funny, detailed illustrations
     Why I Love this Book:  When I was a kid we had a computer game version of this book.  I loved that game so much, and I am delighted that my son loves this story as well.





3.  The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg
     Written and Illustrated by Bill Peet

      Recommended for: Ages 5-8
      Style: Intriguing plot, animals
      Why I Love this Book:  My dad read me many of Bill Peet's work when I was a girl and his books will always have a special place in my heart.  



      
4.  Hush!
     Written by Minfong Ho
      Illustrated by Holly Meade

      Recommended for:  Ages 0-5
      Style:  Animal noises, rhyming, set in Thailand
      Why I Love this Book:  It's catchy, it's fun, and I couldn't stop quoting for days after reading it.


5.  Owl Babies
     Written by Martin Waddell
     Illustrated by Patrick Benson

Recommended for: Ages 0-5
Style:  Sweet, few words
Why I Love this Book:  This is by far one of the most adorable books I've ever read.  The 3 little owls have the cutest little personalities and their subtle facial expressions are fantastic.



MY FAVORITES


6. Someday
    Written by Alison McGhee
     Illustrated by Peter Reynolds

Recommended for:  Ages 3-7
Style:  Whimsical, Touching
Why I Love this Book:  Every illustration and word rings with truth and beauty.  




7. A Chair for My Mother
    Written and Illustrated by Vera B. Williams

Recommended for:  Ages 5-8
Style: A story about family values and community
Why I Love this Book:  I found the story so touching that it nearly brought me to tears.




8.  Heckedy Peg
     Written by Audrey Wood
      Illustrated by Don Wood

Recommended for:  Ages 5-8
Style:  Fairy Tale
Why I Love this Book:  This is another nostalgic one for me that my family read to me when I was a girl.  Also the mom is a total bad ass.  I love her.





9.  Before I was Your Mother
     Written by Kathryn Lasky
      Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Recommended for:  Ages 3-7
Style:  Sweet, nostalgic of the old days
Why I Love this Book:  The rhythm and flow of this book was wonderful and I always love LeUyen Pham's illustrations.



10.  It's Snowing!
      Written and Illustrated by Olivier Dunrea

Recommended for:  Ages 0-5
Style:  Simple, few words
Why I Love this Book:  As a mother who enjoys taking her kid out in the great outdoors I found this book really resonated with me.




MUTUAL FAVORITES


11.  Mama Do You Love Me?
       Written by Barbara Lavellee 
        Illustrated by Barbara M. Joosse

Recommended for:  Ages 3-7
Style: Reassuring, touching
Why I Love this Book:  It captures so well the relationship between mother's and their children.





12. Are You My Mother?
     Written and Illustrated by P. D. Eastman

Recommended for:  Ages 3-7
Style:  Sweet, Repetitive
Why I Love this Book:  This is one that my son wants me to read again and again, and I never get tired of reading it.





13.  Mommy Hugs
       Written by Anne Gutman
        Illustrated by Georg Hallensleben

Recommended for:  Ages 0-3
Style:  Interactive, Simple
Why I Love this Book:  This book demonstrates many different ways to communicate love and encourages the readers do each of them.


14.  Bedtime for Mommy
       Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
        Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Recommended for:  Ages 3-7
Style:  Funny, Few words
Why I Love this Book:  This is one of the first books I ever bought as a parent and it remains a family favorite in our home to this day.  


14.  Love You Forever
       Written by Robert Munsch
        Illustrated by Sheila McGraw

Recommended for:  Ages 3-7
Style:  Lyrical, Touching
Why I Love this Book:  Who doesn't love this book!  It's a classic and for good reason.  It drives home the message of unconditional everlasting love.


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