Our Mothers’ Names: Love in Many Languages

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.)