By Uma Menon
Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Candlewick Press, 2025
24 pages
978-1-5362-2250-0
Ages 4-8
An Indian American girl whose family speaks Malayalam at home explains that she calls her mother Amma, the Malayalam word for mother. Some of her classmates and friends have different words for mother or mom or mommy, from their own family languages. Angelina, whose family is from Mexico City, calls her mom Mamá. Her friend Thea’s mother is Greek. “Thea calls her mother Mána.” Aliya calls her mom Ommi, which is Arabic, while the narrator’s Japanese pen pal uses Okaasan. The story shares the word for “mother” in these and other languages in an open-hearted, friendly, yet matter-of-fact way. “The world is filled with thousands of languages and many ways to say mother. But no matter how many different names people have for mothers one thing is for sure: My mother will always be my Amma!” The vibrant mixed-media illustrations have a joyful feel as they showcase the young narrator’s family and many different moms and children. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center