Please welcome my guest author today, Heather Lang! We live near each other so it’s been fun to see her at KidLit events in the Boston area! She has a new picture Book, co-written with the illustrator Jamie Harper, on animal supermoms! It’s out just in time for Mother’s Day!

We are also giving away a copy of picture book Supermoms! To enter, please fill out the Rafflocopter at the bottom!

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Thanks so much, Pragmatic Mom, for helping us shine a light on some wonderful Mother’s Day picture books, including our own Supermoms!

Co-writing a book about amazing animal moms in the wild has been a joy—not just because it’s been fun to make a book together, but also because these moms rock! Looking back, Supermoms! has been thirty years in the making—that’s how long we’ve been friends. Over those years we’ve shared the ups and downs of raising our families and had many laughs along the way. We both love animals (especially our dogs), so joining forces to write about animal moms in the wild seemed like the perfect project for us to tackle together.

Once we began our research, we noticed many parallels to human behavior—both in the caretakers and the kids. As we reminisced about our own parenting stories and the funny things our kids did, we found tons of opportunities for humor. We eventually landed on a design that played into the superhero theme—comics-style panels containing simple nonfiction text with humorous illustrations and funny animal callouts.

We hope readers will be surprised and astounded by the animal moms we included and the extraordinary care they give to their young. We hope kids will relate to the baby animals and make connections to their own mothers or caretakers. We hope they’ll be excited to learn more about these animals and seek out other books and information (see our websites). And we hope they’ll laugh out loud and want to read Supermoms! again and again!

What could be more special on Mother’s Day than snuggling up with a little one and reading a book (or two or three . . .)? Here are ten of our favorite picture books that celebrate moms of all kinds.

10 Mother’s Day Picture Books 

Five Minutes’ Peace by Jill Murphy

This hilarious picture book is one of our all-time favorites—probably because the sequence of events is so easy to relate to. Mrs. Large heads up to the bath for five minutes of peace and quiet from the chaos in her busy life, but not surprisingly the chaos follows her right into the tub! [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Koala Lou by Mem Fox

This entertaining and reassuring story highlights the special bond between a mother and child. When more siblings arrive in the family, Koala Lou misses her mother’s attention and loving words. To regain her mother’s love, Koala Lou sets out to win the bush Olympics. After losing to a formidable competitor, Koala Lou is devastated, but soon realizes her mother has always loved her and always will. This book was a favorite with our kids twenty years ago, and in our opinion is a classic—it stands the test of time. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

How to Raise a Mom by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish

If you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud picture book that reminds kids about all the things their moms do for them, this is for you! We love how the roles are reversed as two siblings share the best ways to raise a happy and healthy mom. From helping her get dressed in the morning to entertaining her in the grocery store line, kids and moms will both relate to all the funny scenarios. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

A Mother’s Journey by Sandra Markle, illustrated by Alan Marks

This is a beautiful narrative nonfiction story about a new mother penguin and the sacrifices she makes for her family. After Mama lays her egg, she leaves it in the care of her mate and heads to the open sea many miles away. She fills her belly with fish to feed herself and later her chick. Young readers will be on the edges of their seats as mama penguin faces dangerous predators, brutal Antarctic conditions, and a race against time to return to her hungry newborn chick. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Saturday by Oge More

Who doesn’t look forward to Saturdays—a time to kick back and enjoy life? For Ava and her mom, who works six days a week, Saturday is their special day together. They have a routine of favorite activities, and this Saturday, they are looking forward to a puppet show. But right off the bat, nothing goes as planned. We love how with each disappointment Ava and her mom take a deep breath and move on with their heads held high. And in the face of frustration and sadness, they make the best of things, because what’s most important is spending time together. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Hazel’s Amazing Mother by Rosemary Wells

Hazel’s mom is more than amazing—she’s a superhero! When Hazel makes a few wrong turns, she ends up in the park with some bullies, who destroy her beloved doll. Hazel’s mother, who senses something is wrong, flies to the rescue and saves the day (you’ll have to read the book to find out how). This book is a reminder of how mothers of all kinds do what they have to when it comes to loving and protecting their young. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Dolphin Baby by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Brita Granström

Just like human mamas, baby dolphin’s mom is right there to support him every step of the way. This lyrical narrative nonfiction picture book follows a dolphin baby from the minute he’s born. His mom feeds, protects, and teaches him everything he needs to know to survive in his great big blue world. Readers will feel like they’re along for the ride as mom teaches baby dolphin how to hunt fish and communicate using whistles. For curious readers who want to learn more, Davies includes additional relevant facts on every spread. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Me and Mama by Cozbi A. Cabrera

Everything about this book gives us warm fuzzies. Gorgeous illustrations and gentle, lyrical prose perfectly complement this quiet story about the sweet bond between a mother and daughter as they go through their simple yet satisfying routines on a rainy day. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Baby Penguins Everywhere by Melissa Guion

A lonely penguin finds a magic hat that produces a penguin and then another and another. Before she knows it, mama penguin has a very, very big family that keeps her very, very busy. This adorable book celebrates the joys of parenting but also points out that sometimes all mamas need a break to recharge. That is something any busy mama can relate to and a useful message for little ones to ponder. [picture book, ages 2 to 5]

Supermoms!: Animal Heroes (Book 1) Co-written by Heather Lang and Jamie Harper, illustrated by Jamie Harper

In comics-style panels full of facts and humor, this lively picture book investigates the amazing lengths animal mothers go to in caring for their young. An emperor penguin mom treks up to fifty miles to bring food to her hungry chick. A toothy American alligator carefully carries hatchlings in her mouth, shuttling them safely to the water. A piping plover uses her best acting skills to feign an injury, luring predators away from her offspring. Whether building elaborate burrows, forgoing food for months on end to feed their cubs, toting hundreds of spiderlings on their backs, conducting patient swimming lessons, or fearlessly kicking away hyenas, mothers in the animal kingdom—whatever their species—give it their all (and then some!) to keep their little ones safe, fed, and ready to face the world on their own.

This first book in a young series on animal science includes in its back matter a look at the “super” qualities of some of the animals and offers a collection of resources for budding naturalists. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Supermoms! Giveaway!

We are giving away a copy of the picture book Supermoms! To enter, please fill out the Rafflocopter below. We can only mail to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jamie Harper is the creator of many books for children, including MILES TO GO and MILES TO THE FINISH, the BABY BUNDT board book series, and four books about the indomitable Miss Mingo and her kindergarten class of lovable animals. Among them are MISS MINGO AND THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, about which, in a starred review, Publishers Weekly said: “Young animal enthusiasts won’t soon forget these unique students or Miss Mingo’s enthusiastic celebration of their diversity.” Jamie is also the illustrator of two chapter book series by Sally Warner. She lives outside Boston with her husband and their French bulldog, Louie. Now that her children are all grown up, she plans on filling the house with dogs. To learn more, check out her website and follow her on Instagram @jamieharperillustrator, Twitter @Jharper_art, and Facebook.

Heather Lang writes picture books that celebrate our natural world and biographies about women who overcame extraordinary obstacles to follow their dreams. Her award-winning books include SWIMMING WITH SHARKS: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark and THE LEAF DETECTIVE: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, an NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book and Green Earth Book Award winner. To research her books, Heather has observed animals in the Serengeti, climbed to the treetops of the Amazon, and explored the depths of the ocean. You can read more about Heather’s books and find lots of activities and resources for them at heatherlangbooks.com. To learn more, follow her on 
Twitter @hblang, Instagram @heatherlangbooks, and Facebook.

p.s. Related posts:

Happy Mother’s Day Humor

Happy Mother’s Day To All Moms of All Kinds of Families!

My Mother’s Day Card in Chinese Makes Me So Happy!

Parent-Child Special Moments Picture Book List

The Importance of Mother’s Day

Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day for Moms & Grandmothers

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BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.

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