Sunday, May 8 is Mother’s Day. It was first celebrated in the United States in 1907, when Anna Jarvis held the first Mother’s Day Service in West Virginia.
Although celebrated differently and sometimes on different days, mothers around the world are honoured with special days in most countries. This week’s BWG Picks present picture books depicting moms from around the world. You can find our complete book list in our May Book Bundle.
Chaiwala by Priti Birla Maheshwari
A sensory celebration of family, food, and culture. When their train makes a 10-minute stop at the station in Jaipur, a girl and her mother hurry to get a cup of chai. While the girl waits for her mug of milky spiced tea, readers are treated to the sights, sounds, and smells of the Chaiwala’s cart.
My Day With the Panye by Tami Charles
In Port-au-Prince, a girl wants to carry a basket to the market, just like her manman. As she watches her mother wrap her hair in a mouchwa, the girl tries to balance the empty panye atop her head, but realizes it’s much harder than she thought.
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
A young Asian girl notices her eyes look different from her peers’, but by drawing from the strength of the powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self-love.
Mira’s Curly Hair by Maryam Al Serkal
Mira, who has hair that curls everywhere, wants it to be straight and smooth, just like her mother’s, but when something unpredictable happens, Mira will never look at her mother’s hair the same way again.
Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Frustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl’s mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city.
