Children's books celebrate mothers

Special mom moments and plenty of kisses, along with some pesky siblings, highlight new children's book offerings for Mother's Day.

"My Mommy and Me" (Simon & Schuster, $7.99, ages 2-5) by Karen Hill and illustrated Melissa Iwai. This 7-inch-by-8-inch board book becomes a picture frame, with a slot for a photo on the cover and a sturdy stand in back. Inside, a daughter and mom dress up fancy for cookies and tea, gaze into a bright blue sky, "counting birds that fly so high," and build castles with pots and pans.

"Mommy's Best Kisses" (HarperCollins, $6.99, ages newborn-5) by Margaret Anastas and illustrated by Susan Winter. Moms in the animal kingdom say "I love you" with kisses in this sweet little board book. Illustrations include an ostrich mom ("I kiss your pink knees while you laugh and you wiggle") and hippo mom ("I kiss your rosy cheeks and you gurgle with glee"). Human mom offers a goodnight kiss at the end, with a promise that tomorrow "we'll start all over again!"

"Fine as We Are" (Boxer Books, $14.95, ages 4-8) written and illustrated by Algy Craig Hall. Little Frog wishes he had someone to play leapfrog with, so he says "sure" when mom asks whether he'd like a sibling. Until the little blobs he sees in the water grow squiggly tails, then a whole bunch of baby sisters and brothers materialize to annoy him. Big brother takes a firm hand and ends up having loads of fun. Hall was inspired by the birth of his own quadruplet siblings.

"Just Mom and Me" (American Girl, $9.95, 8-12) by American Girl editors. Another in a series of spiral-bound American Girl activity books, this one offers mothers and daughters side-by-side lists to fill in with their favorite things, punch-out coupons promising hugs and kisses, and a "feel-good box" project to stock with special photos and sweets if the blues set it.

"Mother, You're the Best! (But Sister, You're a Pest!)" (HarperCollins, $16.99, ages 3-8) written and illustrated by Diane deGroat. Gilbert the opossum from the popular "Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink" tries to make Mother's Day special, but the toast burns and little sister Lola keeps sucking up mom's attention. Gilbert wrong-headedly tries to steer Lola clear and ends up giving their mother what she really wants for the holiday.

"Mama's Saris" (Little, Brown and Co., $16.99, ages 3-6) by Pooja Makhijani and illustrated by Elena Gomez. It's daughter's seventh birthday and mom pulls out her carefully folded saris to dress up for the party. Daughter doesn't take no for an answer when told she's not old enough to wear one as well. The lushly illustrated book includes a glossary of Hindi words.