The press release for M Is for Mom: A Child's Alphabet reads: "Unique as a fingerprint, a mother's love is a wonderful gift." This book would be a perfect gift for a mom. It is part of a series of hardback picture books called the Alphabet Series by Sleeping Bear Press.

This is the type of picture book that you want to have your child sit on your lap to read. The front cover has a mom laughing with her child. On the side of each page, there is a bit of information or a thought to ponder, like the importance of hugging, and then a quote. Then there is a beautiful drawing and a poem. I read the poems to my children. Later, I read the book to myself and read all of the margin text.

I very much appreciated that the illustrator, Chris Ellison, included moms and children of different ethnic heritages. He captures so well the good emotions that moms feel: joy, happiness, love. I also appreciate that Mrs. Riehle dedicated the book to her two mothers, her birth mother and her adoptive mother. Mrs. Riehle did an excellent job with the poems--not only rhyming words but also selecting parts of childhood to remember, like:

C is for the Critters
I collected in my jar,
You might think they're creepy
but I don't think they are.

I suppose that every book has a downfall, but the only one I can find here is the price of the book. However, considering the inspiration that it provides, I think that it will pay dividends day after day.

M Is for Mom: A Child's Alphabet is a book that I would purchase for my friend or sister. It makes you feel special and worthy as a mom. Someday I will pass it along to my daughter, to inspire her for her future and show her the blessings and joys of being a mom.

Product review by Maggi Beardsley, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2009