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Our Favorite Picture Book Moms
Motherhood is hard, even if you’re two-dimensional and pretend. Fictional moms got it rough, just like real moms. Our favorite picture book moms survive the chaos that is parenting with style, grace, and loads of patience. Real moms, read on and be inspired. Or, take a nap. You deserve it!
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Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz
I’ve always thought Judith Viorst should have given Alexander’s mom a shout-out in the title. As in: Alexander and His Mom and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I mean, it’s a long title. What are three extra words? If anyone was having a worse day than Alexander, it was his mom.
She is little seen in the book, but is definitely present for most of Alexander’s tantrums. To me, this makes her a saint of patience. Especially when, at the end of the book, she listens to her son whine about how bad his day is for the thousandth time and doesn’t lose her cool. Instead, she reassures Alexander that everyone has bad days. What a lady!
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Olivia, by Ian Falconer
Olivia is adorable, but she’s also a menace. She won’t nap, she tries on all of her clothes, and she drives her brother loco. Basically, Olivia is a lot, all of the time. Still, her mom remains calm, even when Olivia does her best Jackson Pollock impression all over their walls. Olivia’s mom simply says, “You wear me out. But I love you anyway.”
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Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw
This book meant a lot to me as a kid. It was a frequent bedtime read. Like many other children, I found the mom’s song to her son reassuring. She sings, “I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”
I still love this book, even the scene where the mom breaks into her adult son’s house to cradle him. I admit, it’s a step beyond helicopter parenting. But, the sentiment is very sweet. Love You Forever will always be an adorable read about the everlasting devotion of great moms.
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, Ruth E. Harper, and Nancy M. Leak
Chester is a young racoon who doesn’t want to go to school. He wants to stay home and play with his toys, read his books, and swing on his swing. Most of all, he doesn’t want to go to school because that would mean being away from his mom.
Chester’s mom knows just how to help her son let go. She kisses the center of his paw and says, “Whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think, ‘Mommy loves you.’” I mean! There isn’t a sweeter book about separation anxiety.
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Mama Do You Love Me?, by Barbara M. Joosse and Barbara Lavallee
A little girl is curious about the limits of her mother’s love. Her mother responds by saying that she loves her daughter, “more than the raven loves his treasure, more than the dog loves his tail, more than the whale loves his spout.” But the girl isn’t satisfied. She tests her mom with silly hypothetical questions. She asks if her mom would still love her if she ran away or became a musk-ox or walrus. But no matter the question, the mom’s response remains the same. She would still love her daughter forever and always.
Who are your favorite picture book moms?