Mum Goes to Work
Age 3+
Picture Books
This is a warm, reassuring and humorous look at what mothers do all day at work and home, and what their children do in childcare centres.
It’s early morning and everyone is arriving at the noisy childcare centre. Mum is going to work. “Bye, Mum.” What do mums do at work? Are the children as busy as their mums?
Creators
Libby Gleeson AM is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for children and teenagers. She grew up in country towns in Australia and trained as a teacher, living in Europe and England before returning to Australia to write full-time. Her books have been acclaimed both internationally and in Australia. Her awards include thirteen short-listings in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards, which she has won three times. The Great Bear (with Armin Greder) won the Bologna Ragazzi Award in 2000, the first time an Australian title has won this prestigious award, and Red won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction in 2013. Libby has received the Lady Cutler Award for Services to Children’s Literature (1997), the NSW Premier’s Special Award (2011) and the Dromkeen Medal (2011). In 2007 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia.
Leila Rudge was born in England and grew up making mud pies with six siblings and Jeni from number 15. After completing an Illustration Degree at Bath Spa University, Leila headed to Australia to seek her fortune (and the sunshine). Creating tiny characters for books is her favourite part of illustrating. In 2012, her book No Bears (written by Meg McKinlay) was short-listed for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year award in both the Picture Book and Early Childhood categories. Ted was her first picture book as both author and illustrator.
Reviews
It is a clever and informative book and fun to read as well.
103.1FM Grafton
Rudge’s mixed media illustrations are inviting. She uses humour to reiterate the words shown on each page, and readers will love finding some of the things shown on each page.
ReadPlus
It’s a joyous story of identity and having a place in this big world
My Little Story Corner
upon closer inspection more and more storylines are revealed that complement the main, and beautifully inclusive, depiction of the mums’ days
Readings
Libby Gleeson explores a big day in the life of a group of hard-working toddlers and their hard-working mothers, with the help of watercolour and pencil illustrations from Leila Rudge.
Practical Parenting
Australian Picture Books feature
Oh Creative Day
It’s quite simply one of those excellent picture books that work very well and deserves a place in collections everywhere.
The Book Chook
This delightful picture book exudes happiness and has a reassuring feel, revealing that it is quite normal for Mum to go to work.
Magpies Magazine
