
Today seems like the perfect time to talk about our favourite fictional mothers. And I thought we could share childhood faves as well as mothers in our fictional reads.
Favourite Mothers in Children’s Books.
True story: I was raised in a very dysfunctional family. We were struggling immigrants and my mother suffered with what I know now to be an undiagnosed mental illness. So, not a lot of mothering going on in my house but I took solace in the storybook families I read about. In fact, books were my only experience with what a functional family actually looked like. I like to say I was raised by books and am so grateful to my public library’s extensive children’s collection that kept me immersed in imaginary worlds when my own was difficult to bear.
So, I have lots of favourite fictional mothers who played a part in raising me. I’ll try to corral my thoughts to just a few….

Mama from the All-of-a-Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor. These are sweet, simple family stories featuring five sisters at the turn of the century (early 1900s) in New York’s lower East Side. Mama is their anchor – especially when it comes to sharing their Jewish traditions and holidays. Interesting side note: These books were the first to depict traditional American Jewish life in children’s literature. A classic from the 1950s, the books have been reprinted multiple times over the decades but I love the original hardback illustrated copies that I managed to find at library sales over the years.

Mother from The Austin Family Chronicles by Madeleine L’Engle – 5 books starting with Meet the Austins starring Vicky Austin and her siblings. These are gritty, pre-teen/teenage angst kind of stories but with plenty of structured family life to fall back on. First published in the 1960s and reprinted countless times since then, parts can seem outdated (child discipline for one) but there’s something so comforting about this solid family working together to get through the tough stuff. I felt so terribly grown up reading these books! 🙂
Favourite Mothers in my Current Fiction

One author immediately springs to mind: Ruth Logan Herne. She writes kids and families with such truth and grace and humour. Her single mom heroines are independent and capable — no shrinking violets waiting to be rescued! And the way she writes the parenting aspects are spot on. No wonder since she has plenty of lived experience as a mother and grandmother. I always know I’m in for an emotionally satisfying read when I reach for one of her books.

Althea’s grandmother in Sweet Tea by Piper Huguley. Miss Ada steals every scene she’s in. I love that woman! Everyone needs a Miss Ada in their life, bossing them around and telling them what’s what and reminding them of where they come from and who God made them to be. I listened to the audio book but I need to get a print copy so I can underline a variety of Ada-ism to have on hand when I need a boost…or a shove!

Aleida in Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin. This was a colossal ugly cry read for me as it showcases the depths of a mother’s love as Aleida desperately searches for her missing son. It’s heart wrenching and hopeful and everything in between. Definitely a book hangover kind of read…and my favourite Sarah Sundin to date.
Okay, now it’s your turn. What comes to mind when you think of fictional mothers — both from your childhood reads and your ‘grown-up’ ones? Share in a comment below to be entered to win a $10 Baker Book House gift card.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 17 2025























