A selection of recently released children’s picture books celebrates all things mom.
May is all about mothers … and Mother Nature! Here are some new picture books that will get children (and families) into the spirit of the month. In addition to a spotlight on Mother’s Day, outdoor adventures are featured.
By Tracy C. Gold and Vivian Mineker
This charming picture book is a reminder of just how much we rely on our moms—from the time a baby cries for milk until the children become adults with children of their own. It is a loving tribute to mothers everywhere. The rhyming lines make this a fun read-aloud for preschoolers, and the illustrations capture the progression from one life stage to another.
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It works as a baby shower gift for new mothers, too: a gentle reminder that when things get a little crazy, don’t forget to call your mother.
Familius, 2024
Hardcover: 32 pages
By Theoni and Bastian Bell, and Bernadette Gockowski
Parents give different nicknames to their unborn child: Peanut, Munchkin, Snugglebug, Fuzzball, or, in this family’s case, Jellybean. As Jellybean grows and develops inside Mother’s womb, she becomes familiar with the voices penetrating her little cocoon. But a new voice, warm and loving, speaks kindly, guiding her to a heavenly world.
This book will find a good home on bookshelves of families who mourn for a child, and helps parents who want to explain the loss of a sibling to their children. Although the topic is sad, the authors address the loss in a way that is uplifting and hopeful. Written in rhyming verse, it is a book geared for age 3 and up, and is perfect for the entire family.
Holy Heroes, 2024
Paperback: 40 pages
By Claudia Cangilla McAdam and Richard Cowdrey
Coming on the heels of Angel Studios’ PG-13 film adaptation of the life of American St. Mother Frances Cabrini, the media company Angel Studios also released a children’s picture book for younger audiences to learn about this remarkable woman. Though a young Mother Cabrini wanted to spread the gospel in China, she was instead sent to New York City to aid the Italian immigrants living in sewers and squalid streets. With God’s help, she raises the funds to build an orphanage and to improve their living conditions. It’s a great story about faith and persistence, and how anyone can do anything with God’s help.
Written simply, it is great for a read-aloud to children ages 4 to 7, and appropriate for young readers who can read independently.
Sophia Institute Press, 2024
Hardbound: 32 pages
Outdoor Activities
May is followed by June, which is “National Parks Month,” and these new books are sure to get the family excited about spending time outdoors.
By Yuli Yav and Laura Bee
The little ones are raring to go outside now that the last snow has melted and the April showers have given way to May flowers. A family goes on a hike and sees the rich greens of the trees, steps gingerly across a river, and hears the rustle of their own boots as they make their way up a mountain.
This board book for preschoolers combines rhymes with beautiful illustrations depicting the wonders of the great outdoors. It’s a great way to get the little feet ready for a nice nature walk.
Little Simon, 2024
Board Book: 16 pages
By Michelle Schaub and Anne Lambelet
When the sun is shining high and bright, it’s time to head to the trees!
Where the shade is cool, offers respite from the heat, because there’s no pool.
You’ll find haikus and other forms of poetry in “Leafy Landmarks,” since each tree destination is introduced by a different poetic form. From the Californian sequoias and redwoods—famed for their height and girth—to the banyan tree on Thomas Edison’s Florida estate (a result of his science experiments)—readers can learn about timbers that have witnessed history. They will also become familiar with quatrains, nonets, sedokas, etherees, and many other forms of poetry, half of which even grownups probably never heard of.After visiting one of the locations, children may feel inspired to write their own ode to a tree. Perfect for families who love adventure, nature, history, as well as poe-“tree.”
Sleeping Bear Press, 2024
Hardcover: 40 pages
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