Mother's Day: picture books about mums
To celebrate Mothering Sunday, why not share one of these illustrated books featuring marvellous mums?
It's a good excuse to have some quiet time with little ones or talk through any issues with older children.
Together, you can celebrate all the different kinds of special mums in the world!
Books that feature single mums
It's also a great opportunity to send one of our Mother's Day e-cards and support us in getting children and families reading together.
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Well Done, Mummy Penguin
Author: Chris Haughton
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 7+
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Well Done, Mummy Penguin
Author: Chris Haughton
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 7+
In this suspenseful and gently humorous picture book, Mummy Penguin goes off to hunt for fish whilst Little Penguin and Daddy Peng…
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Zeki Loves Mummy
Author: Anna McQuinn Illustrator: Ruth Hearson
Interest level: 2-3
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Zeki Loves Mummy
Author: Anna McQuinn Illustrator: Ruth Hearson
Interest level: 2-3
Reading age:
Somewhere between a board book and a picture book, this is ideal for two to three year olds who will enjoy the rhyming text and sw…
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Mommy, Mama and Me
Author: Leslea Newman Illustrator: Carol Thompson
Interest level: 0-3
Reading age: N/A
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Mommy, Mama and Me
Author: Leslea Newman Illustrator: Carol Thompson
Interest level: 0-3
Reading age: N/A
What a treat: a warm and adorably illustrated board book about a loving family which just happens to have two mums in it. There's …
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Mummy and Me
Author: Lydia Bright Illustrator: Jojo Clinch
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 2-3
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Mummy and Me
Author: Lydia Bright Illustrator: Jojo Clinch
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 2-3
Etta and Mummy Elephant are a Terrific Team of Two, enjoying adventures together. A charming picture book that celebrates imaginat…
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Is That Your Mama?
Author: Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 2-3
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Is That Your Mama?
Author: Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 2-3
Josie doesn’t look like her mum, and worries that she should. But her family show her that all families are different, and a…
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Mama’s Sleeping Scarf
Author: Nwa Grace-James (AKA Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) Illustrator: Joelle Avelino
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 7+
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Mama’s Sleeping Scarf
Author: Nwa Grace-James (AKA Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) Illustrator: Joelle Avelino
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 7+
While waiting for her mama to return from work, Mama’s sleeping scarf becomes an object of magic and whimsy in Chino’s imaginative…
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My Mum is a Lioness
Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-5
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My Mum is a Lioness
Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
The delightful sequel to Haddow and Adeola’s My Dad is a Grizzly Bear features a powerful, energetic mum who is very muc…
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My Must-Have Mum
Author: Maudie Smith Illustrator: Jen Khatun
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 6+
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My Must-Have Mum
Author: Maudie Smith Illustrator: Jen Khatun
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 6+
There is so much to enjoy in this charming, inclusive picture book, which beautifully celebrates diversity, acceptance and uncondi…
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Mummy Time
Author: Monique James-Duncan Illustrator: Ebony Glenn
Interest level: 3-5
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Mummy Time
Author: Monique James-Duncan Illustrator: Ebony Glenn
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Wake up, it’s mummy time! A warm and reassuring picture book about the everyday life of a stay-at-home mother and her two children…
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Held in Love
Author: Dawn Casey & Oamul Lu
Interest level: 5-7
Reading age: 6+
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Held in Love
Author: Dawn Casey & Oamul Lu
Interest level: 5-7
Reading age: 6+
This beautiful, quiet book captures a new mother’s hopes for her new baby, and a message that whatever happens in life, love will …
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Mummy's Special Day
Author: Frances Stickley Illustrator: Carolina Rabei
Interest level: 4-5
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Mummy's Special Day
Author: Frances Stickley Illustrator: Carolina Rabei
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
A sweet story about a Mother’s Day that doesn’t go quite according to plan is a riot of colourful detail, delighting in the chaos …
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The Best Mum
Author: Penny Harrison Illustrator: Sharon Davey
Interest level: 3-5
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The Best Mum
Author: Penny Harrison Illustrator: Sharon Davey
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Funny and silly with lots of brilliant detail in the illustrations by Sharon Davey, this is a celebration of all different kinds o…
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My Mum Always Looks After Me So Much!
Author: Sean Taylor & David Barrow
Interest level: 3-5
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My Mum Always Looks After Me So Much!
Author: Sean Taylor & David Barrow
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Little gorilla has to go to the doctor’s to get an injection, but he doesn’t mind too much because the doctor is nice. Also, getti…
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Superhero Mum
Author: Timothy Knapman Illustrator: Joe Berger
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
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Superhero Mum
Author: Timothy Knapman Illustrator: Joe Berger
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
No one is more heroic for the little girl featured in this retro Pop Art-styled picture book than her playground-chasing, cake-mak…
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My Mums Love Me
Author: Anna Membrino Illustrator: Joy Hwang Ruiz
Interest level: 2-3
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My Mums Love Me
Author: Anna Membrino Illustrator: Joy Hwang Ruiz
Interest level: 2-3
Reading age:
This adorable picture book with warm toned illustrations celebrates the daily routine of a baby and the fun that can be had all da…
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Who's Your Real Mum?
Author: Bernadette Green Illustrator: Anna Zobel
Interest level: 4-5
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Who's Your Real Mum?
Author: Bernadette Green Illustrator: Anna Zobel
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
This warm, imaginative picture book has a clear message that, with same sex parents, both mums or dads are childrens’ “real” paren…
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The Best Mother
Author: C M Surrisi Illustrator: Diane Goode
Interest level: 5-7
Reading age: 6+
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The Best Mother
Author: C M Surrisi Illustrator: Diane Goode
Interest level: 5-7
Reading age: 6+
Maxine suspects that if she had a different mother, things would be much nicer – until she talks to some other mums. A f…
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The Strongest Mum
Author: Nicola Kent
Interest level: 3-5
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The Strongest Mum
Author: Nicola Kent
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Children’s books celebrating mums often focus on all the great things mums do and how tireless and inventive they are, so it’s lov…
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The Pocket Chaotic
Author: Ziggy Hanaor Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barnett
Interest level: 2-5
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The Pocket Chaotic
Author: Ziggy Hanaor Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barnett
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
Alexander is a baby kangaroo who loves snuggling up in his mum's warm, cosy pouch. The only problem is she's extremely messy - and…
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The Great Big Book of Families
Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Ros Asquith
Interest level: 4+
Reading age: 7+
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The Great Big Book of Families
Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Ros Asquith
Interest level: 4+
Reading age: 7+
The Great Big Book of Families is about the diversity of families. The simple message is that every family is unique and…
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Dino-Mummy
Author: Mark Sperring Illustrator: Sam Lloyd
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 5+
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Dino-Mummy
Author: Mark Sperring Illustrator: Sam Lloyd
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 5+
Dino-Mummy celebrates the multi-tasking super-dino who not only looks after two lively dino-babies and keeps their home in order, …
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I Love My Mummy
Author: Giles Andreae Illustrator: Emma Dodd
Interest level: 2+
Reading age: 6+
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I Love My Mummy
Author: Giles Andreae Illustrator: Emma Dodd
Interest level: 2+
Reading age: 6+
What is it about Mummies that makes them so lovable and so very special?
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