“My mom works as a carpenter. She builds things big and strong. At night, though, she’s a general who’ll march the troops along.”

Let’s start with a look at Holman Wang‘s latest picture book, Great Job, Mom!. You may immediately recognize Holman Wang’s incredible needle felting work from the popular and critically acclaimed Cozy Classics series, as well as the Star Wars Epic Yarns board books (done with his brother Jack Wang). Here, in Great Job, Mom!, Holman Wang turns to a celebration of everything mom. From carpenter and “part-time curator with passion for the arts”, to archeologist and DJ, Great Job, Mom! not only acknowledges but also happily, heartwarmingly honors the lengthy- and varied- list of all of the hats moms can and do wear. The star of the book is arguably the splendid artwork on each page (featuring needle felted wool, scaled models, and photography), but the concise, parsed text that goes along with each spread fits perfectly- light and read-aloud-ready. A fun, comforting, and altogether supremely charming story that begs for rereading (and poring over), there is much to delight in Great Job, Mom!. Readers who adored any of Holman and Jack Wang’s Epic Yarns or Cozy Classics; those who are looking for a cheerful, contemporary standout for Mother’s Day; or those who delight in charming rhyming stories along the lines of authors such as Karma Wilson, Julia Donaldson, Audrey Wood, or Alice Shertle, this is a fabulous pick. For interested readers, there is a companion called Great Job, Dad! from Holman Wang, also available! Be sure to check out the special Behind the Scenes feature at the end of the book; fascinating, so very cool, and just a glimpse at all the tremendous amount of work that goes into the creation of a picture book!

I received a copy of this title courtesy of Tundra Books/Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own. Title has been published and is currently available.

“Hello! I am Little Fish, swimming in the sea. Today we have a special day- just Mommy Fish and me!”

Up next is Little Fish and Mommy, A Little Fish Book, from beloved storyteller and illustrator Lucy Cousins (the Maisy series, Hooray for Birds!, Jazzy in the Jungle). Little Fish and Mommy is a hardy fish-shaped board book featuring the bright-eyed tiny orange and yellow polka-dotted fish from stories such as Hooray for Fish! and Count with Little Fish. In this beautifully sweet rhyming story that marks the undeniable adoration between a mom and their little one, Little Fish takes readers along for a “special day” with Mommy Fish: blowing bubbles, splishing and splashing, playing games, exploring caves, and even big, brave Mommy Fish scaring away a shark! For those who have read and loved Hooray for Fish!, or are fans of Lucy Cousins’ unmistakable, bold, bright, and eye-catching artwork, Little Fish and Mommy is such a terrific, adorable pick. Similarly, readers who enjoy the vibrant and sweet stories by authors-illustrators such as Jane Cabrera, Nina Laden, Karen Katz, or Mary Murphy might want to check out the genuine sweetness and cheeriness of Little Fish and Mommy.

I received a copy of this title courtesy of Candlewick Press/Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own. Title has been published and is currently available.

 
Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley
Made for Me by Zack Bush, illus. by Gregorio De Lauretis*
Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo
Rory the Dinosaur: Me and My Dad by Liz Climo
Wish by Matthew Cordell
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Little Elliot, Big Family by Mike Curato
Little Cub by Olivier Dunrea
My New Mom and Me by Renata Galindo
Baby Penguins Love Their Mama! by Melissa Guion
Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
Mother Bruce (Bruce #1) by Ryan T. Higgins
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers
Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Tell Me a Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee, illus. Eliza Wheeler
My Dad Used to Be So Cool by Keith Negley
A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O’Leary, illus. Qin Leng
Where You Came From by Sara O’Leary, illus. Julie Morstad
The Mommy Book by Todd Parr
Harris Finds His Feet by Catherine Rayner
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illus. Henry Cole
Stella Brings the Family by Miriam Schiffer, illus. Holly Clifton-Brown
Town is By the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, illus. Sydney Smith
David Gets In Trouble by David Shannon
One Family by George Shannon, illus. Blanca Gomez
Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein
Tad and Dad by David Ezra Stein
You and Me, Me and You by Miguel Tanco*
Pete With No Pants by Rowboat Watkins
Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms by Robert Paul Weston, illus. Misa Saburi
A Bedtime Yarn by Nicola Winstanley, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller**

Board Books:
Edgar Gets Ready for Bed by Jennifer Adams, illus. Ron Stucki
My Mommy (Peppa Pig) by Neville Astley
Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins
My Dad is Amazing! by Sabrina Moyle, illus. Eunice Moyle
My Mom is Magical! by Sabrina Moyle, illus. Eunice Moyle
Little You by Richard Van Camp, illus. Julie Flett
We Sang You Home by Richard Van Camp, illus. Julie Flett
We Belong Together by Joyce Wan

*Titles were sent in for review consideration courtesy of Raincoast Books. Thank you! Inclusion on this list, opinions and comments are my own.
**Title was sent in for review consideration courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada. Thank you! Inclusion on this list, opinions and comments are my own.

Open to Canadian residents, ages 18 and up, one lucky person will have the chance to win a great collection of six books and gift items valued at $140.

Here is a rundown of the beautiful prizes offered in the giveaway:

Mamasaurus by Stephan Lomp
This colorful and reassuring picture book follows Babysaurus on an adventure as he enlists his prehistoric friends to seek his Mamasaurus. Is his Mamasaurus the fastest in the jungle? No. Is she the loudest? No. Is she the best flyer? No! Of course, Mamasaurus has been right there all along. And when Babysaurus needs a little help, she is ready with a big hug and a sweet, leafy snack. For Babysaurus, his Mamasaurus is the best mamasaurus in the world! Stephan Lomp has illustrated several books in his native Germany, and in this debut as both author and artist, he has created a fresh twist on a perennial theme that will win the hearts of little ones and their mamas as they snuggle up to read a new favorite.

Cute but definitely not fluffy, sweet but not saccharine, I found Mamasaurus to be a fun and wonderfully illustrated read. I think it could make for a solid preschool read aloud- the colours of the prehistoric creatures are captivating and the illustrations are expressive enough to draw all eyes in. Readers who enjoy their dinosaurs will likely gobble this one up; those who are perhaps less swayed by dinosaurs will likely still be taken in with the fun artwork and happily-ever-after story of a mama and her baby.

You can read my full review of this terrifically illustrated, vibrant and funny picture book here!

Letters to My Mom: Write Now. Read Later. Treasure Forever by Lea Redmond
Mom will truly treasure this keepsake forever. The twelve fold-and-mail-style envelopes (ten prompted, two blank) invite sons and daughters to capture memories and express gratitude for Mom, seal up the envelopes with the included stickers, and postdate the letters. When Mom breaks the seals in the future, she’ll receive an invaluable gift: a tangible reflection of her child’s love.

Mothers of the Village: Why All Moms Need the Support of a Motherhood Community and How to Find It For Yourself by C. J. Schneider
So many mothers feel like something is out of joint, something is missing and maybe the truth is that we’re all just missing each other. C. J. Schneider found herself in the middle of a perfect storm after giving birth to her third child and moving to a new neighborhood. Conditions for misery and postpartum depression were ideal: she was isolated, lonely, and exhausted with three young children at home. As she started talking with other mothers, she realized that she was not alone in her experience of feeling alone. In her unique voice, Schneider intelligently and compassionately offers practical advice on how to create the essential community that mothers need.

Daily Motherhood: 365 Days of Inspiration for the Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love compiled by Familius
Every mom needs a pick-me-up now and then,so why not every day? With 365 gorgeously designed quotes about motherhood,one for every day of the year, Daily Motherhood is the perfect gift for every mother. This beautiful quote book will inspire, uplift, and energize moms, reminding them why they do what they do and recommitting them to the world’s greatest job: motherhood.

The Dreamday Pattern Journal: Heraldic – Paris Coloring-in notebook for writing, musing, drawing and doodling (Laurence King Publishing)
The Original Pattern Journals are a new concept in luxury stationery. Each journal contains patterned pages for coloring-in and doodling interleaved with blank pages for taking notes and drawing. Each has a visual theme associated with a particular period or place, whether Renaissance Florence, 1920s Manhattan, or Mid-Century Scandinavia. Composed of cream and gray stocks and featuring colored endpapers, richly patterned covers, and a bellyband, the journals are a perfect blending of the traditional blank journal and the current craze for coloring-in books. This is a series that can be used as beautiful, functional stationery but each volume will also become a unique personal notebook with your own designs and coloring.

Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening by Becky Blades
No matter how hard they try, parents never have time to teach their children everything they need to know before they leave home. Luckily, Becky Blades has compiled the best tidbits of advice into one thought-provoking, conversation-starting book. Covering everything from posture to finances, with a hint of motherly sass, Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone is the perfect gift for leaving-the-nest kids, or anyone in your life who could use a little bit of coming-of-age common sense.

Giveaway Info:
The contest is open to Canadian residents only, and entrants must be aged 18 and up. The contest will run from April 30, 2016 until May 6, 2016. One winner will be randomly selected at the end of giveaway via Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond by emailing me at fabbookreviews[at]gmail[dot]com, confirming their name and their mailing address. Raincoast Books is providing fulfillment of the prizes.

Enter by clicking on the following link to Rafflecopter and follow the instructions to enter:

Click here to enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter!

Giveaway is now closed!

Congratulations to the winner: Sunshine H.!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and participated in the giveaway!

I received a copy of Mothers of the Village for the purposes of this giveaway. I received a copy of Mamasaurus previously in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! Opinions and comments regarding the titles are my own. Prizes provided by Raincoast Books.