(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the illustrator in exchange for an honest review.)

Hello, friends! Our book today is When I’m A Mommy Like You!, written by David O’Connell and illustrated by Francesca Gambatesa, a sweet ode to the special relationship between mother and daughter.

In conversational rhyming text, the book introduces a mommy and daughter who spend their days together: shopping, cooking, playing, etc. The mommy works very hard, and the girl thinks she is doing a wonderful job of being a mommy. The little girl tells her mommy that she’s learning how to be a grownup from her, and that she’ll do her best to be a great mommy like her. The mother is touched, and tells the little girl the secret to making their days fun and full of adventure: she does it because she loves the time they get to spend together, and while being a mommy is hard work, it’s very much worth it.

This was a sweet book with a lovely sentiment. I enjoyed the conversational nature of the text, how one spread would be daughter addressing mother, then the opposite for the following spread. The illustrations were adorable, done in a pastel-hued cartoon style that shows great affection for the characters. However, I do have two complaints: the rhyme scheme of the text is a choppy at times, and it can be difficult to keep the rhythm. Also, I would have loved to see the mother doing something that wasn’t domestic- or appearance- related. It might have been nice to show her teaching her daughter a skill that is not traditionally “feminine,” but instead stuck to wearing dresses, gardening, doing yoga and the like. Overall, however, it is a very nice book that explores a timeless dynamic. The length was fine, and JJ enjoyed it, so we’re calling this one Baby Bookworm approved!