Mummy’s Home!

Author: Christopher MacGregor
Illustrator: Emma Yarlett
Publisher: Picture Corgi

The story, written in rhythmic verse, describes a mother who must leave her family to go and work away. It covers the preparations for her departure, the time she is away, and her home-coming. Her daughter narrates the story.

The family in the book are non-threatening ‘alien-like’ creatures with green skin and antennae. The illustrator (Emma Yarlett) has skilfully depicted a vast ocean to symbolise the distance between the mother and her family. The family live in a beach house on the shore, and when the mother leaves she sets out across the waves in a tiny kayak.

The family are shown making preparations for the Mum’s trip. They help her to pack and prepare keepsakes and letters for her to take with her (to remind her of how much she is loved).

After Mum’s departure, Daddy is ‘safely at the helm’ and the family have lots of imaginative playtime. They keep in touch with letters and emails, but the story acknowledges that there’s a ‘piece of the family puzzle missing’ without Mummy there. The daughter describes how brilliant she thinks Mummy is, and how many people she is helping at work.

The children mark the time passing by eating a jelly bean from a jar for each day Mummy is away.

‘Turning like the tide’, suddenly it’s almost time for Mummy to come home, and the family make preparations for a welcome party. Soon she’s home and receives plenty of hugs and kisses.

This is a very positive and comforting book, and the love felt between the family members really shines out in the words and pictures. The illustrations, that are similar in style to those of the very popular author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers, are very appealing.

The messages we found in this book:

Acknowledgement:

It can make a child feel very sad and lonely when a loved one is absent for a long period. Sometimes it feels like there is a ‘piece of the family puzzle missing’. It is normal to feel sad in a situation like this from time to to time.

Guidance:

Family support and love will help you through the most challenging times
Love endures, despite distance (“I know she loves me more each day, the longer we’re apart. I feel it build with every beat inside my little heart”)
Sometimes parents must be away from home in order to do something important (the Mum in the story has a job which involves caring for people overseas; her daughter is very proud of the way her mum helps others)
It’s important to talk things through if you are missing someone (“But if the colours drain away, to leave just black and white, I’ll talk it through with those I love to make it feel alright.”)
Sending notes and messages can help soothe the pain of separation.
Marking the days until the loved one returns can be helpful (the children in the story eat a jellybean from a jar each day – they know when the jar is empty, their mother will be due back).

Hope & Inspiration:

Mum returns from her trip safely to a loving and warm reunion with her family.
The daughter demonstrates a great deal of patience as she waits for her mum to return. She is thoughtful and kind (sending notes to her mum, helping her to pack, and making her keepsakes). Her mum works in a caring profession and has put others before herself. Dad is imaginative and creative, devising lots of fun activities for the children.