Mummy and Me written and illustrated by Katherina Manolessou , published by Macmillan Children's Books, 2017. Ages 0-2
This book made me want to add frogs to our garden pond! On a serious note, recently I had noticed that there are a lot of good 'I love Daddy' picture books on the market but this one is wholly dedicated to mums. This joyful book celebrates the special bond between a mother and child and does it in playful, patterned style. The story is about two frogs, mother and child and a special (but normal) day they have together, in the pond that they live on. They spend the day having a meal, baking, swimming and playing in the local playground, the mom even has a cup of tea at a lily pad cafe.
The design and illustration of the frogs and their surroundings is just so colourful and eye-catching. Every time I opened it I felt really happy! Very relatable for toddlers and parents, I read that it was inspired by the author's daughter and this authenticity really comes across. It reminded me of fun days hanging out with my child when I was on maternity leave.
The story follows a simple but effective rhyme scheme which made this a delight to read. The joyful tone of the pictures are matched with a light, catchy rhyme. "Wake up mummy, wake up me." There is also great repetition for teaching numbers.
It is so evocative of a small person's world. It is the simplicity of this story paired with the modern, fun illustrations and use of colour that make this such a special picture book. I loved reading it to my son and he was so drawn to the amazing illustrations. Moments like the ones celebrated in this book are ones that make memories and I made some lovely ones reading this to my son.
