It is Mother’s Day tomorrow and the shops are sparkling with lights and gifts, with people, laughter and excitement – looking for the perfect gift to bring a smile of joy to mums at home. Among the candles and balloons, the orchids and chocolate hearts, one young girl searches for a card that features a mum who looks like hers. Her mum has gold bangles that jingle-jangle when she washes the curry pots. Her mum wears silk kameez when she buys papaya at the market. Her mum has dark eyes that flash when she dances the bhangra. What will the little girl do if she can’t find a card with a mum who looks like hers? A lively, inclusive picture book about identity and belonging that joyfully celebrates mums and motherhood.
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Dr Bashabi Fraser, CBE, HonFASL is an award winning poet and children’s writer. She is the recipient of a CBE (2021 The Queen’s New Year Honours) for Education (her academic work), culture (poetry) and cultural integration (her bridge building projects linking Scotland and India) and was made Honorary Fellow of the Association of Scottish Studies in 2022. She lives in Edinburgh. (Image © Hermann Rodrigues)
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Maanvi Kapur is a visual artist who has practised illustration professionally for more than a decade. Her work ranges from children’s books to editorials to murals, working with brands including New York Magazine, Netflix India and BBC Media.
“Bashabi Fraser and Maanvi Kapur have crafted an unforgettable piece of work.”
- Desi Blitz
“A relatable narrative with a poignant twist that tugs at the heartstrings!”
- Sandhya Prabhat, bestselling illustrator of I Am Brown
“Brimming with warmth, Kapur’s detailed illustrations combine with tender, alliterative text for a vital narrative about the need for representation for all mothers. A gentle Mother’s Day tale with a message of inclusion.”
- Kirkus Reviews
“A touching and relatable tale of a child’s wish to express her love for her Ma on Mother’s Day, reflecting how much it matters to all our children to find and claim a place to belong in words and images.”
- Sita Brahmachari, award-winning children’s author
“The illustrator captures the quiet tenderness between mother and daughter, a joy that leaps from the pages. Just right for lauding mothers worldwide.”
- Books for Keeps
“A very good book to share for Mother’s Day, or any day. It’s a book to make all readers think about what makes their mum special to them, but it also puts all young readers in the shoes of someone who is just like them, but who might not find themselves represented.”
- Andrea Reece, LoveReading4Kids
“A lovely story about a young girl struggling to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift. How the young girl solves this problem is brilliant on many levels. This is a great book for companion lessons on social-emotional learning: how are we the same and how are we different.”
- School Library Journal
“I would recommend this book to everyone especially people who are different to the rest because they can know what it’s like and that it’s not bad being different, actually it’s good to be different!”
- Unaysa, 6 years old, Books Up North Reviewer
