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A Card for My Mom
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Bashabi Fraser, illus. by Maanvi Kapur. Lantana, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-83629-005-6
A child struggles to find a fitting Mother’s Day card as Fraser’s lines rhythmically describe the way none of the cards resemble the child protagonist’s parent: “If there was just one card to show/ Mom with her gold necklace, bangles/ and earrings.” As the narrator expresses a bespoke vision for an ideal card, Mom comes further into focus via energetic scenes of her selling pakoras at the mela, dancing the bhangra, and more. Yellow highlighting lends Kapur’s digitally painted pencil drawings a sunny look that suits the child’s bright-eyed appreciations. Though a store-bought card with Mom’s “happy brown face smiling sweetly at me” never materializes, a DIY alternative results in an affirming ending. Protagonists cue as South Asian; background characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4–9. (Mar.)
Our Mothers’ Names: Love in Many Languages
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Uma Menon, illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2250-0
A child’s investigation into the many different words for mother opens up the world of languages in this cross-cultural reflection. A pajamaed narrator begins, “When I wake up, the first person to greet me is my mother”—known as Amma, in Malayalam. Playing with bilingual friend Angelina, whose family is from Mexico City, the narrator learns that Mamá is the Spanish word for mother. And through other friends, the protagonist learns how mothers are addressed in countries around the world. The canvaslike surface of Jomepour Bell’s heavily textured mixed-media illustrations are a backdrop for crisp-edged mothers and children dancing, crafting, baking, and celebrating throughout this fond accounting of maternal monikers. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Language facts conclude. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
My Dad Is the Best
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Fran Pintadera, trans. from the Spanish by Charlesbridge, illus. by Joan Turu. Charlesbridge, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-62354-491-1
Two pale-skinned children compete to prove that “my dad is the best,” in this goofy tale of one-upmanship. After an exaggerated opening gambit (“My dad can pick up... a truck!”), things quickly escalate as the kids continue to up the ante until cumulative lines achieve a pinnacle of absurdity (“My dad can pick up a truck filled with elephants pregnant with triplets on top of a skyscraper”). The mood softens after disastrous results predictably ensue, with the dads modeling a camaraderie that leaves everyone blushing with happiness. Playing with scale, Turu’s casual cartoon-like sketches echo Pintadera’s over-the-top storytelling via depictions of the protagonists that feature enlarged heads and upper bodies. A plain white backdrop places an emphasis on the kid-orchestrated antics and the warm sentiments that eventually emerge. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
Mommy Love: A Mindfulness Exercise for Mothers and Babies
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Susan Verde, illus. by Naoko Stoop. Viking, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-46497-7
Amid “tired and tears,” a new mother sits next to a sleeping newborn, a cup of tea in her hands: “I am discovering how to pause/ and sit with what is.” Across this serene meditation on caretaking, Verde sets the stage for actions that nurture parent as well as child, modeling self-talk and other practices that might help smooth first weeks and months: “I can be easy on me/ and show you how to be/ easy on you.” Digitally finished multimedia paintings by Stoop show mother and child in a warm city apartment that aptly presents the chaos of early days with an infant—heaping laundry, a sink filled with dishes. As well as caring for the child, the new mother seeks community with others “who also are called Mommy and Baby.” And as the baby matures, the mother grows into the role, the name “wrapping us both in love.” An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
Max and Mama
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Laura Numeroff, illus. by Masha Sudovykh. Brown/Sampson, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-61254-689-6
From waking until bedtime one Sunday, corgis Mama and Max remain at each other’s side in this agreeable portrait of intergenerational attachment. Anchored by the mundane, plotting centers simple childhood delights: after helping Max get dressed and serving a blueberry-pancake breakfast, Mama cycles with Max to the park, where the two play hide-and-seek, picnic, chat, and nap. When Max’s training wheel breaks during their return, he determinedly learns to ride and later excitedly shares the news with Papa (who’s otherwise something of a bit player). In Sudovykh’s painterly illustrations, the canines are clad in sweaters and jeans, adding a humorous appeal to the story. A nighttime routine of dinner, homework, bathing, and bed-time book-reading rounds out the “wonderful day” in this cozy snapshot of dog devotion. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
I Got It from My Mama
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Tika Sumpter, illus. by April Apodaca. Genius Cat, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-962447-23-2
Sumpter and Apodaca highlight mothers as role models in this lesson-oriented work. First-person narration by a bespectacled child gushes about Mama: “I want to be just like her one day, so I always practice.” But when an accident in the kitchen causes Mama to lose her temper, a domino effect results in the protagonist soon echoing Mama’s frustrated words to a classmate. After the child describes the incident, Mama compensates with an appropriate apology that also gets passed along at school. Emphasizing the figural through softly colored backgrounds, exuberant digital cartoons convey the varied emotions animating the story. The child’s concluding observation will resonate beyond the page: “She’s not perfect, but she’s perfect for me!” Protagonists are portrayed with brown skin; background characters are shown with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
The Best Daddy of All
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Peter Horn, trans. from the German by Johanna McCalmont, illus. by Jessica Meserve. NorthSouth, $19.95 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7358-4567-1
Daddy Tortoise and son Sebastian play an extended guessing game that doubles as a celebration of how animal dads care for their young in this picture book. As the pair cuddle up, Daddy describes varied activities (“This dad shows his children how to jump from stem to stem”), soliciting gleeful engagement (“That’s Daddy Grasshopper!”). Meserve’s whimsical nature illustrations—delicate line drawings washed with layers of semi-iridescent coloring—add charm to the exchanges. In one scene, a frog conductor leads an amphibian chorus; in another, fireflies glow beneath a moonlit sky. After touching on rabbits, bats, and more, Daddy’s quizzing turns to a series of clues (“one who plays hide-and-seek in the grass with his son”) that prompt heartwarming responses (“Oh, that’s a really nice dad”) to conclude this tortoise-centric tribute. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
Together We Remember
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Jackie Morera, illus. by Violeta Encarnación. Make Me a World, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-80564-0
In Morera and Encarnación’s wistful bilingual story, imagination-fueled play helps “chase the blues away” for a father and child. Taking inspiration from previous dreams of adventure (“The ones from before./ When Mami was here”), Papi and young Gisele travel to a pink sand beach via a plane full of stuffies and give a concert on the moon, among other fantastic explorations. With painted textures and scanned elements, artwork centers on the duo’s shared affection—particularly captured in a scene of the two curled up on the couch, paging through a photo album (“a book that lets you travel through time”). Traces of Mami, too, appear throughout this loving work about a family’s bond. Characters cue as Latinx. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (May)
A Thousand Years
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Christina Perri, illus. by Joy Hwang Ruiz. Viking, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-62259-9
In this portrait of parental doting, singer-songwriter Perri recasts her titular ballad to describe the enduring connection between an adult and growing child. Verses take the perspective of an adult speaker, centering on the sustaining sentiments expressed in the refrain “I have loved you for a thousand years./ I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Hwang Ruiz’s candy-colored pencil and digital renderings use literal images to buttress the song. Alongside the lines “But watching you stand alone,// all of my doubt suddenly goes away,” a ruddy-cheeked toddler stands, then takes a tentative step toward a caregiver, both portrayed with pale skin. Together, text and image communicate relationships’ strengthening ties. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)
Love, Dad: Inspiring Notes from Fathers to Kids
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Joel Warsh and Andrew Gardner, illus. by David Elmo Cooper. Random House, $14.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-57216-0
Messages of hope and care ground an epistolary picture book that straightforwardly remixes 18 fathers’ wishes for their children. “Dear Kiddo,” the volume opens, “When you grow up, I hope you....” Filling in the blank, text on each spread conveys the importance of self-love, gratitude, kindness, and leadership: “I hope the biggest love you have is for yourself.” Cooper’s hip, texturized digital renderings showcase people portrayed with various skin tones in everyday scenes that give off affectionate vibes. As the work comes to a close, concluding sentiments from Warsh and Gardner reassure that children can always count on the unconditional support of a dad—“I love you no matter what, kiddo.” A list of contributors concludes. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)
