Children & Young Adult

To sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please CLICK HERE.

Mother’s Day will soon be here and I’ve collected some wonderful picture books about, and for, moms. Naturally, these books can be enjoyed by all ages.

All We Know, by Linda Ashman, and beautifully painted with watercolor and acrylic by Jane Dyer, has a lyrical rhyming style that begs to be read aloud – perhaps while on mother’s lap. “A crab knows how to crawl, / A seagull how to soar / A wave knows how / to rise up tall / and tumble to the shore.” An adorable curly-haired youngster is seen throughout the seasons amongst flowers, along the seashore and looking out the window as snow is falling. Ultimately it’s mother’s love that captures the essence of the story, which becomes easily known. 

When I Grow Up, Wish and Happy are three smallish-sized books all by Emma Dodd that celebrate mothers. All of Dodd’s books are small and feature a young animal along the side of the mother. They also have a simple rhyming pattern as well as gold or silver foil embossed on many of the pages helping create a perfect illustration. “When I Grow Up” is told through the eyes of a bear cub and describes many positive attributes a mom would wish for her child. “Wish” showcases a wolf and all her many wishes for her young wolf cub. “Happy” has mother owl expressing her unlimited and unconditional love for her small owlet. There are more books in this series and they are perfect to read at bedtime because they are short and quick to read. 

My Mother, My Heart: A Joyful Book to Color and Joyous Blooms to Color, both by Eleri Fowler, are capturing the new craze: adults enjoying relaxation by coloring. If you’re looking to give your mother something that is hand-done by you: then the first book is for you. Each page is intricately drawn with flowers, birds, butterflies and delicate objects that would take time to color. But the end result would thrill mom. “Joyous Blooms to Color” is another beautiful coloring book but this book would be perfect for mom to color. The elegant pages are rich with renderings of natural settings copiously filled with flowers, landscapes, trees and gardens. You’ll also find inspirational quotes surrounded by a labyrinth of extraordinary beauty all waiting to be colored. Mom will find this book relaxing and an enjoyable escape.

Guess How Much I Love You: One More Tickle! (A Puppet Book), by Sam McBratney, and warmly painted with watercolors by Anita Jeram, begins with Little Nutbrown Hare asking Big Nutbrown Hare, “Are you ticklish?” Then he proceeds to tickle ears, nose, chin and so on. Each proceeding page has the words “Tickle, tickle, tickle!” repeating throughout. This adorable story begs for the reader to tickle their youngster in the areas described in the book which will create many ticklish chuckles! By the way, the bunny puppet is attached to the book.

I’ll Never Let You Go, by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, and illustrated with brilliant acrylic and colored pencils by Alison Brown, has each double-page spread with a different animal pairing. The tender rhymes exclaim throughout how the mothers will never, ever leave their child no matter what happens. Mommy koala bear tells her young child, “When you are sad and troubled with fears, / I hold you close and dry all your tears.” This book is a perfect bedtime story for mom and child to cuddle up with.

Good Night Like This, by Mary Murphy, is another perfect bedtime story for mom and child. Each page has different pairs of animals (a mom and a child) which include a cat and a kitten and a duck and a duckling. The text has a simple rhyming pattern such as “Snorey and furry, / stretchy and purry.” As well as a repetitive line throughout: “Good night, / Sleep tight…./ like this.” The double-page spreads are filled with vibrant watercolor. And there is a half-page covering each animal pair as they settle in for the night. Upon turning this smaller page, you see them snuggling and sleeping. This book will surely settle down a little one for sleep next to you.

You Made Me A Mother, by Laurenne Sala, and sweetly painted with watercolors and using ink by Robin Preiss Glasser, is the celebration of having a child, bonding and loving that child forever more. It begins with being pregnant and having the child start out the size of a pea in the womb, then a lemon, then an eggplant. And all the love during the pregnancy and after the birth continues onward through good times and difficult times. But the love is always there. This journey of becoming a mother is beautiful and to be relished!